Left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz is the No.1 prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization. He's also the No. 16 prospect in all of baseball and the highest rated southpaw by MLB Pipeline.
Schultz's explosive stuff and 6-foot-10 frame have helped him reach Triple-A this season at 21 years old. It also earned him a spot in the MLB Futures Game for a second straight season.
Representing the White Sox in the Futures Game is an honor that puts Schultz and minor league outfielder Braden Montgomery in elite company. Schultz also became just the fourth White Sox prospect ever to play in the Futures Game multiple times.
Unfortunately, Schultz really struggled over the weekend in Atlanta and was saddled with the decisive loss. It's the second straight year that he has not performed well on that stage.
Schultz in the 2024 Futures Game
The American League squad lost the 2024 Futures Game by a final score of 6-1.
Schultz faced a total of six batters, surrendering three hits, one walk, and one hit by pitch. He completed just 0.1 innings and allowed three earned runs.
In a preview of the this year's Futures Game, Schultz reflected on the outing last year that left him unsatisfied.
“I wouldn’t say I was the happiest with my outing, but I know the experience as a whole, it was an experience I definitely won’t forget,” said Schultz over Zoom to Scott Merkin. “My family got to go out and they were telling me how awesome everything was. I’m really excited for this year, too.” (via Scott Merkin)
Another rough outing for Noah Schultz in 2025
Unfortunately for Schultz, his 2025 performance was even worse. The White Sox left-hander gave up four consecutive hits after entering the ballgame in the 4th inning.
One of those hits was a 108.5 mph three-run home run from Dodgers outfielder Josue De Paula.
Josue De Paula (@Dodgers No. 1 prospect) demolishes this ball and gives the NL the lead! 💥 pic.twitter.com/lXyNZiZW8G
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 12, 2025
By the time he was pulled, Schultz had completed just 0.2 innings and allowed four (4) runs on four (4) hits in a 4-2 loss for the American League.
In the last two Futures Games combined, Schultz has done one (1) inning, allowed seven (7) hits, seven (7) runs, one (1) walk, and one (1) hit by pitch. That's a fairly concerning statline, even if it comes against some of the best prospects in baseball.
2025 has been a pretty disappointing year for Schultz overall. A 4.76 ERA in the minor leagues isn't what White Sox fans had in mind this season. Perhaps the most concerning thing is the 44 walks that Schultz has issued in 68 innings of work.
It's still too early to be down on Schultz's future. At times, he looks like a future ace. His wipeout slider and upper-90s fastball will play at the Major League level, but it may not come as quickly as the White Sox once thought.
It once seemed like a given that we would see Noah Schultz make his Major League debut in 2025. That no longer feels like a certainty. If he doesn't harness his control in Triple-A, I doubt the White Sox will be pushing Schultz to an even more advanced level.
I'm confident that it will all come with time. Development is not linear. By this time next year, Schultz should be in the big league rotation. But in the meantime, outings like we saw in the MLB Futures Game are going to happen and White Sox fans need to weather the storm.