First of Many: Shane Smith (2025)

First of Many: Shane Smith (2025)

Quite a journey since December, Lauren, for Shane Smith. Rule five from the Milwaukee Brewers. Undrafted, right? Went to Wake Forest University. Two arm surgeries in college. Had a shoulder issue in Tommy John his junior year. Only threw 10 innings at Wake Forest. So, really had to prove himself in the minor. The odds were against him. I don’t think there’s a question of if my stuff is good enough to be here. It’s how well do I use it. Got him swinging. Shane Smith bringing the heat. I think it was during the winter meetings. I found out watching the live stream of the event, the first selection of the major league phase for the 2024 rule five draft goes to the Chicago White Socks. Chicago, please make your pick. Chicago White Sox select Shane Smith, right-handed pitcher from Milwaukee Brewers AAA. It’s a real moment for me and my family. Extremely excited. A lot of things come with the rule five. You just get a real opportunity, and I think that’s what I was most excited for. So this is a time like where we got to like start making some roster decisions, you know, like the tough part is like with rule five picks, like it just puts a lot of pressure on everybody, right? It can be tough um in most cases. In your case, it’s not tough at all because you absolutely crushed it and we’re excited uh to have you come with us to Chicago, man. So uh you made the team. Congratulations. speechless. Thank you. Awesome. Hey, Ma. Hey. Are you uh are you with dad? Hey, I uh I did it. Yeah. Yeah, me too. Yeah, I am. Yeah, I’m going to Chicago. There he is, Shane Smith, making his big league debut. I tried to treat the morning just like any other one. On the days I pitched, you know, pulling up, I was definitely full of emotions. I was excited. I was definitely nervous, but you know, as the time kind of rolls down to it, you get more ready for the game. I usually call my dad before every start. And I can’t remember specifically, but I know what he said to me over the last year is that I’m good enough to be here. I deserve to be here. Early on, I was definitely nervous like playing catch in the outfield. You know, you’re trying to make sure everything’s right, everything feels good, all the pitches feel good and moving right. When it came down to throwing the first pitch, it was just like any other game in my mind. One, two. First big league strikeout for Shane Smith. Let’s keep that baseball. This one just falls off the table. It was really cool. You know, I don’t think I’ve thrown a change up like that since. So So that’s that was cool. I think I had a guy on base, so I couldn’t really, you know, walk around and really take it in after after the strikeout. You know, once I got that, I was I was like, “All right, you know, this is this is possible. This is the opportunity that I wanted.” Swing this. Shane Smith got him swinging. Shane Smith bringing the heat. Strike three. Yes, sir. Roll him up. Strike three call. Perfect pitch from Shane Smith. I think Shane Smith can accomplish anything that he needs to on a baseball field. This guy is extremely talented guy. works extremely hard. We were in Colorado. We knew that there was an announcement coming. As we know, uh, the All-Star game is around the corner. We have a a selection. Uh, we know how, uh, big of an honor it is to be named to the All-Star team. Obviously, an tremendous honor. Um, and obviously it’s it’s not just about stats, right? It’s about how you compete, uh, how you carry yourself, the professionalism, and ultimately earning the respect of the league. So, with that, um, I’m extremely proud, uh, to announce, uh, the first, uh, rookie pitcher in White Socks history to be named to the All-Star team, Shane Smith. Yeah, baby. Grateful is an understatement. Um, no better guys I’d rather be with. A year ago is not, this isn’t where I picture myself. Um, but to be here with you guys and and do it like this has been incredible. So, thank you. I didn’t really think my name would be called on that day. Just, you know, how the year goes. You know, you have es and flows, but thankfully, you know, Skip said my name in the in the clubhouse and just to have all my teammates come up and, you know, give me a high five and a hug was was really special. It’s really tough to put into words what that feeling was. I was definitely, you know, emotional after the fact and, you know, maybe short for words at the time, but extremely grateful. From rule five to first time allar, that is a quantum leap. Shane Smith, let’s hope it’s the first of many selections for him. pulling up to the hotel that first night and and and seeing the hotel all done up and walking in and seeing everybody from the American and National League that you’ve watched since you were in high school or or even before just to see them walk around in plain clothing and and to realize we’re going to the same thing tomorrow. We’re doing the same thing tomorrow. So, you know, being able to see them, but also, you know, talk to the guys in my clubhouse and and able to have conversations with them about, you know, baseball life, the city, you know, whatever it may have been, you know, just pick their brain about their success, pick their brain about their failures and and what they kind of got out of that. Congratulations to Shane Smith. A welldeserved ticket. He has a chance to be in the White Sox rotation for years to come. He’s been that impressive. This guy is extremely talented guy. Works extremely hard to see him this year as a rule five pick come in with the pressure that was on him to make the team to go do what he did in spring training and then perform like he has all year and not just you know the early success but the early success followed by a middle part of the summer where you know he had to really work to get back on track and you see him now get back on track and that’s what it takes to be an anchor of a rotation is a guy that may not be perfect every day but he gives you a chance to go out there and win on a daily basis. the group of guys that we have in that clubhouse. You know, we just had a team meeting and we’re talking about a statement we want to put out to to ourselves, to our to our own team and and to the rest of the league is, you know, we’re we’re experiencing the big leagues for the first time this year, but we have a lot of guys in this clubhouse that can do a lot of good in the big league. So, I think that’s the biggest thing is the youth and the excitement and also the knowledge of some of our veterans to, you know, really carry us into this year.

From being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft to being the first rookie pitcher in White Sox history to be named to the All-Star Team, Shane Smith has had an impressive journey.

Smith made the Opening Day roster out of spring training, making his major-league debut on April 1. He posted a no-decision vs. Minnesota, carrying a shutout into the 6th inning.

Among MLB rookies with at least 100.0 IP, Smith ranked third in strikeouts (145) and opponents average (.216), tied for third in starts (29), fourth in IP (146.1) and fifth in ERA (3.81) in 2025.

With his All-Star nod, Shane Smith became the first White Sox rookie to make the All-Star Team since José Abreu in 2014 and the first rookie pitcher in franchise history to earn the honor. He also joined Florida’s Dan Uggla (2006) as the only players in MLB history to make the All-Star Team in the year following his Rule 5 selection.

Chapters:
0:00 Against All Odds
0:32 A Real Opportunity
1:47 Chicago
2:56 All-Star Stuff
4:45 Well-Deserved Ticket
5:33 Our Statement

First of Many
From first hit to first save, see the journey, mindset and emotions leading up to many major-league firsts for the White Sox young core.

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