No Prospect List, No Problem: Smith Ready to Prove He’s a No. 1 Starter

Twelve months ago, Shane Smith was battling for a roster spot in spring training camp.

The 24-year-old right-hander entered camp riding the momentum of a strong 2024 season in the Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system. Smith earned a promotion to Triple-A after appearing in 27 games with the Brewers’ Double-A affiliate, the Biloxi Shuckers, where he posted a 3.08 ERA.

Over 94.1 innings that season, Smith struck out 113 batters while issuing just 29 walks, numbers that put him on the cusp of a promotion to the big leagues. But weeks later, Smith learned that the Brewers were not adding him to their 40-man roster, exposing him to the Rule 5 Draft.

The Chicago White Sox quickly took advantage, selecting Smith with the first overall pick and adding the young right-hander to their roster. By the end of spring training, Smith was called into manager Will Venable’s office and told he had earned the fifth and final spot in the White Sox rotation.

Flash forward to Sunday, and Smith was once again called into Venable’s office. Only this time, the message carried more weight. Venable informed him that he would be taking the ball on Opening Day in Milwaukee, against the organization that drafted him in 2021.

Smith’s reaction was telling.

“I wanted this so bad,” an emotional Smith told Venable in a video posted by the White Sox.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz, who was also sitting in the room when Smith received the news, had a simple message for the right-hander: “Stay on the attack.”

Attacking hitters was something Smith had little trouble doing during his rookie campaign. After entering the season as a relatively unknown minor leaguer, the Massachusetts native went on to lead the team in starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts, while also earning an All-Star nod.

But that early success may be just the beginning. Smith’s four-seam fastball and changeup emerged as his two biggest weapons. Opponents batted just .192 against his fastball, even over a large sample size, as Smith relied on the pitch for 45 percent of his offerings. Meanwhile, his changeup has nearly 33 inches of vertical drop, with opponents hitting just .200 against it.

Despite posting a respectable 3.81 ERA, Smith still has room to grow. He often struggled to pitch deep into games, carried a 9.1% walk rate, and allowed plenty of hard contact, ranking in the bottom third of the league in average exit velocity.

He is now tasked with trying to make at least 30 starts and set the tone for the season.

In an organization that has four pitchers on its top 10 prospect list, including two arms ranked among  MLB Pipeline’s top-100 prospects, Smith has plenty of reason to stay motivated. The career of an MLB pitcher can be fickle, especially when you look over your shoulder and see a wave of young, hungry arms chomping at the bit for a promotion.  

But pressure is a privilege, and it’s exactly the kind of challenge Smith looks built to handle.

“Since I graduated high school, my baseball career has never been the same,” Smith told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “I have never been on any prospect list, Top 30 prospect for any team. That just tells me those things aren’t as important. What you do on a daily basis and how you treat people around you is a better identifier of who you are as a baseball player than anything.”

Last season was further proof that he has the mental toughness to handle the pressure that comes with being named the Opening Day starter. After starting the season allowing three runs or less in his first eight starts, he got tagged for 22 earned runs in a four-game stretch between June 17 and July 6, only to finish the year by taking a perfect game into the sixth inning in his final start of the year.

Being named the team’s No. 1 starter is one thing. Staying the top dog is another. Smith’s next challenge will be proving he has what it takes to solidify himself as the team’s top arm for the long haul.