The Chicago White Sox are set to elevate their premier pitching talent, Noah Schultz, to the major leagues, marking his MLB debut this Tuesday at Rate Field.
Schultz, a promising 22-year-old southpaw, will showcase his skills against the formidable Tampa Bay Rays.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
A proud product of the Chicago area, Schultz hails from Oswego East High School. The White Sox secured him with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
The towering 6’10” pitcher has been honing his craft with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights.
On Sunday, the White Sox made it official, announcing Schultz’s promotion to their major league roster.
Earlier in the month, General Manager Chris Getz emphasized the team’s cautious approach, stating there was no rush to bring their top pitching prospects to the majors, as noted before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
As of April 3, Opening Day starter Shane Smith had two turns through the rotation, while giving up 10 earned runs in just 4 innings. The rest of the staff hadn’t been much better, leading to some early-season questions about replacements.
In addition to Schultz, the White Sox have more promising first-round picks at Triple-A Charlotte who could contribute to the big league team soon, including fellow lefty Hagen Smith. Tanner McDougal, a fifth-round pick in 2021, also has looked good.
“When we feel like they’re ready, they’ll be up here,” Getz said. “We don’t feel like they’re ready quite yet. We don’t feel like it’s the right time. Candidly, regardless of how things are going up here, if they are not ready, they’re not coming up here.”
McDougal and Smith are pitching at Triple-A for the first time while Schultz had a 9.37 ERA in five starts there last season. All have looked good in their initial outings this year but there’s still work to be done, according to Getz.
“To have three significant arms like that at the Triple-A level is very comforting as we’re navigating, looking into the future of this season, but certainly don’t feel like it’s the right time to bring those guys up,” he said. “We want to make sure that those guys are throwing multiple pitches, being able to navigate both sided hitters and turn lineups over. If they’re down there and they are performing well and there’s confidence not only in the player, but the staff and front office and we feel like they’re in a really good place — they’ll come up here because we know long term that it’s going to be best for their careers.”
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
