Hagen Smith Stats & Scouting Report

IP	13.2
ERA	2.63
WHIP	1.17
BB/9	6.59
SO/9	16.46

Full name Hagen Boyd Smith
Born 08/19/2003 in Tyler, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Arkansas
Drafted in the 1st round (5th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2024 (signed for $8,000,000).

View Draft Report

School: Arkansas
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.9
BA Grade: 60/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 70. Slider: 70. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.

Smith ranked as a top 200 prospect coming out of high school in Bullard, Texas, and threw seven no-hitters during a loud senior season. He did that after recovering from Tommy John surgery and then made it to campus at Arkansas, where he has pitched in a number of different roles while making steady progress each year. His 2024 draft season was consistently dominant and resulted in him winning Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors. Smith posted a 2.04 ERA in 16 starts and 84 innings with a 48.6% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate and Division I-leading .144 opponent average. He was the Friday night ace of an Arkansas staff that was one of the best pitching teams in the country. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Smith has gained good weight in his college career and made strides. He refined his delivery in 2024, which helped lead to improved stuff and strikes. He averaged 95-96 mph with a fastball that has been up to 100 and throws from a low three-quarters slot that helps him create a flat plane to the plate. Those factors allow his fastball to generate tons of in-zone whiffs. Smith backs his heater with a hard, mid-80s slider that is a swing-and-miss pitch to both lefthanded and righthanded hitters, as his 56% miss rate in 2024 attests. His slider is a potential 70-grade offering. Smith’s third pitch is a firm upper-80s changeup that needs more refinement and has been infrequently used during his college career. While he has improved his strike-throwing, Smith has never been a command-oriented pitcher and will need to continue making strides in this area. He will also need to bring up his third pitch to be a slam-dunk starter. Despite having TJ on his ledger and some reliever risk, Smith’s outstanding lefthanded stuff gives him extreme upside and should make him one of the first two pitchers drafted.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 60/High.

Track Record: The White Sox certainly have a thing for low-slot lefties with devastating sliders. They drafted Smith fifth overall in 2024, two years after drafting Noah Schultz. He arrived at Arkansas after a Texas high school career that included recovery from Tommy John surgery. The Friday night starter for the Razorbacks in his draft year, he earned Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors with a 2.04 ERA in 84 innings and a 48.6% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate and a Division I-leading .144 opponent average. Smith began his pro career with two August starts in the bridge league before heading to High-A Winston-Salem for three appearances.

Scouting Report: Smith’s fastball and slider are both considered future double-plus pitches. In college, his fastball averaged 95.6 mph and touched 100. It played up because of the lower release point, flat approach angle and extreme extension he gets from his delivery. His hard mid-80s slider is a true swing-and-miss pitch used to dominate both righthanded and lefthanded batters, and Smith has the ability to adjust its velocity. His third pitch is a firm high-80s changeup used infrequently in college and not thrown at all during his limited time at Winston-Salem. When he threw the change in one of the Arizona backfield games, it resembled a sinker. Improvement to that offering will be a key goal for Smith this spring. He’s highly competitive on the mound and maintains a good pre-game routine.

The Future: Smith profiles as a starter, with a third pitch pending. He’s slider-dependent now, reminding some of former White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon. Advanced enough to break camp with the Double-A Birmingham team, Smith could be on the fast track to the big leagues, similar to how the White Sox handled Garrett Crochet.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50.

Draft Prospects

School: Arkansas Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.9
BA Grade: 60/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 70. Slider: 70. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.

Smith ranked as a top 200 prospect coming out of high school in Bullard, Texas, and threw seven no-hitters during a loud senior season. He did that after recovering from Tommy John surgery and then made it to campus at Arkansas, where he has pitched in a number of different roles while making steady progress each year. His 2024 draft season was consistently dominant and resulted in him winning Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year honors. Smith posted a 2.04 ERA in 16 starts and 84 innings with a 48.6% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate and Division I-leading .144 opponent average. He was the Friday night ace of an Arkansas staff that was one of the best pitching teams in the country. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Smith has gained good weight in his college career and made strides. He refined his delivery in 2024, which helped lead to improved stuff and strikes. He averaged 95-96 mph with a fastball that has been up to 100 and throws from a low three-quarters slot that helps him create a flat plane to the plate. Those factors allow his fastball to generate tons of in-zone whiffs. Smith backs his heater with a hard, mid-80s slider that is a swing-and-miss pitch to both lefthanded and righthanded hitters, as his 56% miss rate in 2024 attests. His slider is a potential 70-grade offering. Smith’s third pitch is a firm upper-80s changeup that needs more refinement and has been infrequently used during his college career. While he has improved his strike-throwing, Smith has never been a command-oriented pitcher and will need to continue making strides in this area. He will also need to bring up his third pitch to be a slam-dunk starter. Despite having TJ on his ledger and some reliever risk, Smith’s outstanding lefthanded stuff gives him extreme upside and should make him one of the first two pitchers drafted.