Hey, we're having a special on-location edition of White Sox pregame live.

This Wednesday, Ozzie Gien and I will be at the whistle in Oakland before the White Sox take on the Rangers.

That's Wednesday night on NBC Sports Chicago.

And we're going to be at the whistle in Oakland. We'll see you there.

Where is he in his development? And how close do you think he is to the major leagues?

He could pitch out of your bullpen right now. That's a fact.

That's a fact. That's Arkansas

head baseball coach, Dave Van Horn

talking about Hagen Smith

with the White Sox drafted in the first round on Sunday

with the fifth overall pick.

And from the sounds of it, yeah, he could be on the

fast track to the major leagues. Hey, everybody, it's Chuck Arfine. This is the White Sox Talk

podcast. And yes, I like many of you, was frankly surprised when the White Sox shows a pitcher

instead of a hitter in the first round for obvious

reasons. They need hitting in a big, big way. But when it came to getting a pitcher like Smith,

they didn't want to pass them up. And I'm going to explain why I think they chose Hagen Smith over Florida first baseman Jack Caglione later on the podcast.

But first, it's a conversation with Dave Van Horn who talks about who the White Sox are getting in Smith.

The kind of pitcher and competitor he is.

We'll talk about that incredible 17 strikeout performance this year against Oregon State.

White Sox scouting director, Mike Shirley, called it the best performance he's ever seen by a college pitcher.

I'll play some of that as well.

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