It’s only April, but the White Sox have already seen two highly anticipated major league debuts in 2026. Left-hander Noah Schultz made his first big league start Tuesday night against the Rays and infielder Sam Antonacci’s came the very next day. The young White Sox roster should be supplemented even further with top prospect debuts as the season moves along. Here are three White Sox prospects whose early play should earn them a big league call-up sooner rather than later.
LHP Hagen Smith
Entering 2026, it felt like a massive year for the career of Hagen Smith. The left-hander was selected by the White Sox with the fifth overall pick in 2024 and the organization’s hope was that Smith would be a quick riser that impacts the major league team promptly. 2025 was not the season Smith or the White Sox were hoping for. The then-21 year-old struggled mightily with his control, walking 56 hitters in 75.2 innings with Double-A Birmingham. Smith got healthier and developed some more consistency as the season went on, and he looked strong during a 13 inning stint in the Arizona Fall League. Smith was promoted to Triple-A Charlotte to begin the 2026 season. Through his first four outings, Smith has posted a 1.38 ERA with five walks and 19 strikeouts. His velocity and movement are back to their normal numbers and Smith has looked sharp in a normally hitter-friendly environment. The White Sox are still building up his innings in hopes that he can be making his full-length starts in Chicago by the end of the season, but if Smith continues to thrive, it’ll be hard to keep him in the minor leagues.
RHP Tanner McDougal
Unlike Smith, 2025 was the season that put Tanner McDougal on the map. McDougal began the season in the bottom third of the White Sox top 30 list and by the end of the season had firmly placed himself in the top 10. McDougal began the season with High-A Winston-Salem and posted a 3.28 ERA in 13 starts. He moved up a level and started 15 games for Birmingham, posting a 3.23 ERA during that time. Overall, McDougal finished the season with 113.1 innings pitched, a 3.26 ERA, and 136 strikeouts with 49 walks. He came to spring training throwing 100 mph regularly and mowing down hitters, and began the 2026 season in Charlotte’s rotation. Entering Friday’s start, McDougal had a 2.40 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 15 innings at the Triple-A level. He’s allowed a decent amount of walks, so the White Sox would like to see some improvement in his command before he gets the call, but it would shock me if he’s still in Charlotte at the end of the summer.
Tanner McDougal came out firing in his Triple-A @KnightsBaseball debut 🔥
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 29, 2026
The @WhiteSox No. 6 prospect struck out eight across four strong frames and hit 99+ mph 14 times, maxing out at 100.2: pic.twitter.com/GyeMY5SRUH
IF William Bergolla Jr.
The White Sox don’t have a ton of reinforcements coming to help a struggling offense in the early going. With Sam Antonacci getting the call, Bergolla is perhaps the most interesting position-player prospect left in Triple-A. Bergolla is known for his pure contact ability, excellent defense on the infield, and speed on the bases. He’s a career .296 hitter in the minor leagues but has just one home run since starting his professional career in 2022. A collision in the outfield landed Bergolla on the injured list with a knee contusion, but he was off to an electric start before his injury, going 16-for-35 (.457) with a 1.096 OPS in ten games. The White Sox would love to see Bergolla drive the ball more and become a threat for extra bases, but he could force his way into a utility role if he continues his elite contact hitting upon his return. He’s certainly a name to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
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