I was in Los Angeles for an MLB The Show tournament, eating dinner at my hotel with my eyes glued to the TV on the other side of the bar, when the Chicago White Sox drafted Noah Schultz, an 18-year-old left-handed reliever from Oswego East High School, for the 26th overall pick.
“That’s my rival high school! We drafted a hometown kid,” I exclaimed!
Like many other Sox fans, I have eagerly followed Noah’s journey and have been waiting for this day for just under four years.
The now 22-year-old is set to make his MLB Debut for the White Sox in Chicago against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, April 14 at 6:40 p.m. CT.
The South Side’s No. 2 overall prospect has been virtually lights-out in hist first three games with the Charlotte Knights this season, pitching to a tune of a 1.29 ERA across 14 innings with 19 punchouts. Not to mention, he’s induced a .129 BABIP and has only allowed two walks. Noah rocks a four-pitch repertoire: 4-seam fastball, slider, changeup and cutter. And most importantly, he’s healthy. After battling a knee injury that ultimately sidelined Schultz for much of the second half of the 2025 season, Noah is recovered and ready to impact the big league club.
Now, the question is, who’s next? Tanner McDougal and Hagen Smith can’t be too far behind when it comes to the rotation.
As Noah Schultz makes his way back to Chicago, I make my way back to South Side Sox.