White Sox Select Shane Smith in Rule 5 Draft

In the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, the Chicago White Sox selected right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers with the first overall pick. Smith, a 24-year-old pitcher with a notable 2.69 ERA over his minor league career, had a strong 2024 season where he recorded a 3.05 ERA and 113 strikeouts across 94.1 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A. The White Sox, coming off a record 121-loss season, see Smith as a potential asset for their pitching staff in 2025. The draft saw pitchers dominate, with 11 of the 15 selected players being pitchers. Teams must keep Rule 5 picks on their active MLB roster for the following season or risk losing them back to their original teams. The White Sox's decision to invest in Smith reflects their strategy to rebuild after a challenging season.