Noah Schultz is selected by the Chicago White Sox with the 26th pick of the 2022 MLB baseball draft, Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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Former White Sox first-round pick Noah Schultz is trending up.
The 6-foot-9 left-handed pitcher from Oswego East High School was promoted to Double A Birmingham a few weeks ago, then was ranked the No. 9 overall prospect in the minor leagues by Baseball America.
White Sox rookie Duke Ellis just arrived from Birmingham, so he was asked to help with a scouting report.
“Impressive. Young Randy Johnson, I would say,” Ellis said. “Carries himself like a professional. You wouldn’t know he’s as young as he is (20) the way he carries himself and the way he competes on the mound. It’s impressive to watch.”
Schultz is certainly unusual, with his height and three-quarters delivery. His fastball reportedly hits the high-90s and he throws a standard mix of four-seam, breaking pitch and change-up, while working to add a cutter.
“Everything is difficult to hit,” Ellis added. “Playing behind him in center field, from his arm angle and the way he throws a baseball, it’s very hard to hit every pitch he has.”
Schultz, the No. 26 overall pick in 2022, posted a 3.95 ERA in Single A Winston-Salem this season. But since arriving in Birmingham, he’s thrown 7⅔ scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts.
There’s another highly rated left-hander at Birmingham, Drew Thorpe. He’s been rolling this season, with a 1.35 ERA in 11 starts. Thorpe was traded twice during the winter, first from the Yankees to Padres in the Juan Soto deal, then going to the White Sox for Dylan Cease.
While the White Sox and Cubs battled at Wrigley Field this week, the respective Double A teams also squared off in Tennessee. Cubs prospect James Triantos homered off Thorpe, but that was his only run allowed over 6 innings.
Chicago Cubs’ Patrick Wisdom reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
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Wisdom in a pinch:
The Cubs have not been good at pinch-hitting this season, which might explain why Patrick Wisdom was so fired up about coming off the bench to hit a tying 2-run homer against the White Sox on Tuesday.
“That’s the most emotion I’ve shown in a while,” Wisdom said. “I think just the weight of that situation, pinch hit and then time of the game. It’s kind of what you dream of as a little kid.”
Wisdom took a long, arduous climb to get to the big leagues. Success as a pinch-hitter might help him extend the stay.
Even with Wisdom’s home run, the Cubs pinch hitters are just 5-for-37 this season. Their .135 average ranks 29th in MLB, ahead of only the Yankees, who rarely pinch-hit with their powerful lineup.
Wisdom said he takes a few cuts in the batting cage before stepping into the box as a pinch-hitter, mostly to get loose.
“It’s hard, it’s a tough spot to be in,” he said. “Just going up there and trying to have a good at bat, kind of alleviates relying on the result.”
Another good sign was Wisdom reached across the plate, didn’t get off his A-level swing, but still hit it out. Teammate Ian Happ had more to say on the topic.
“It’s really hard to pinch hit,” Happ said. “Guys don’t get enough credit for how hard it is to pinch hit. (Wisdom) has done everything the team asked of him, he’s a professional day in and day out. That was a phenomenal at-bat. Ultimately, he’s a very strong human being and got it out of the park.”
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Quinn Priester throws during first-inning baseball game action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
AP
Injury updates:
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed two area pitchers on the injured list Thursday. Quinn Priester (Cary-Grove) went to the 15-day list with a right lat strain, while Ryan Borucki (Mundelein) shifted to the 60-day with left triceps inflammation. … Former Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, out since May 7 with a fractured left forearm, was playing catch on the field Thursday with the Cardinals. If a CT scan checks out, he’ll start taking swings.
Draft dodgers:
MLB’s new anti-tanking rules are confusing, with different guidelines for small- and large-market teams, and those who get luxury-tax payouts.
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said this week he believes the highest the Sox can pick next season is No. 10. They’ve got the fifth pick this year and these new rules are designed to prevent teams from loading up on top picks year after year. Which several teams did with success.
Terrible timing for the Sox. They won’t be able to land the No. 1 pick after what has been a terrible year so far, and AL Central-leading Cleveland does have the top overall pick next month.
Twitter: @McGrawDHSports
