CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox selected left-handed pitcher Noah Schultz from Oswego (Ill.) East High School with their first pick (26th overall) in tonight’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Schultz, 18, is ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Illinois. A native of Aurora, Ill., the 6-foot-9, 220-pound Schultz has made six appearances with Illinois Valley in the Prospect League, going 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA (2 ER/19.1 IP), 37 strikeouts (17.22 per 9.0 IP) and just eight hits allowed. He missed most of his senior season at Oswego East due to illness and inclement weather.
“Noah is a rare talent, and it was a bit unexpected to us that he would be available at pick No. 26,” said Mike Shirley, White Sox director of amateur scouting. “We could not be more excited about his future. He is a 6-foot-9, left-handed pitcher, who moves very athletically. We believe Noah has a huge ceiling, can anchor a rotation down the road and will be part of something very special for the White Sox. His talent and character speak loudly today, and we believe will be even louder in the future.”
Schultz committed to attend Vanderbilt University. His sisters are NCAA softball players at Northwestern University and Stanford University, respectively. His alma mater, Oswego East, is located approximately 42 miles from Guaranteed Rate Field.
Schultz joins infielder Colson Montgomery (2021, 22nd overall), left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet (2020, 11th), first baseman Andrew Vaughn (2019, third), infielder Nick Madrigal (2018, fourth), third baseman Jake Burger (2017, 11th), catcher Zack Collins (2016, 10th), right-handed pitchers Zack Burdi (2016, 26th) and Carson Fulmer (2015, eighth), left-hander Carlos Rodón (2014, third) and infielder Tim Anderson (2013, 17th) as the White Sox most recent first-round selections.
Schultz was recommended by White Sox scout J.J. Lally.
Nine of the White Sox last 10 first-round selections since 2013, and 10 of the last 13 since 2010, reached the major leagues with the club. Anderson is a two-time All-Star and will start Tuesday’s All-Star Game at shortstop for the American League, and Vaughn ranks second on the club in RBI (48) and third in average (.301) and home runs (10) this season. Burger and Crochet both are on the injured list.
The Sox next selection (second round; 62nd pick overall) will be made tonight at approximately 10:20 p.m. CT. The draft will resume tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT with the start of the third round and continue through the completion of Round 10.
