White Sox take Hagen Smith fifth overall in the 2024 MLB draft

Yesterday, Arkansas's former star pitcher, Hagen Smith, was selected fifth overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2024 MLB draft.

Smith had a historic season, becoming Arknsas's all-time season leader in strikeouts (161) and the NCAA single-season record holder for strikeouts per nine innings (17.25). He finished with an ERA of 2.04 — which would've been below two if it weren't for his final and worst performance of the season — and had a strike-to-ball ratio of 161:34 (4.73) in 84 innings pitched.

He was the second pitcher off the board, with Chase Burns going second overall to the Cincinnati Reds. The Cleveland Guardians had the first draft pick and selected Oregon State product Travis Bazzana, who Smith stuck out three times in a row on his way to a record-breaking,17-strike performance. Golden Spikes winner Charlie Condon went to the Colorado Rockies third, and Nick Kurtz of Wake Forest went fourth overall to the Oakland Athletics.

The Windy City seems to love themselves a Razorback, with over six former Hogs connected to the Cubs or the White Sox. In 2022, The White Sox alone drafted three Arkansas prospects and signed another as a free agent.