Smith's whirlwind rookie season takes him from Rule 5 Draft pick to All-Star

DENVER -- Shane Smith’s big league career has been a whirlwind. A year ago, he spent the bulk of his season with Double-A Biloxi in the Brewers' organization. He was the top pick in the Rule 5 Draft last December, made Chicago’s Opening Day rotation just a few days before turning 25 on April 4, and on Selection Sunday, he learned he is the first White Sox rookie pitcher to make the All-Star Game.

“Unbelievable,” Smith said of the news, which manager Will Venable shared with the club before the right-hander took the 6-4 loss to the Rockies on Sunday afternoon at Coors Field. “It’s pretty incredible. It hasn’t sunk in yet. But I’m extremely grateful the White Sox took a chance on me in Rule 5.

“To fight for a roster spot in spring to being in Atlanta in July is not something that I envisioned or expected by any means,” Smith added.

Smith is only the second player to make the All-Star team in the year immediately following his Rule 5 Draft selection under the current format, joining the Marlins’ Dan Uggla (2006).

“To be able to bring him in, add the changeup and for it to culminate in an All-Star appearance is amazing,” Venable said. “This is a guy who came into Spring Training trying to make a club, and the whirlwind that that must have been for him, and then he comes out and pitches like he does and finds himself on an All-Star team. It's an amazing story. I’m extremely proud of him, proud of the organization.”

Even after allowing five runs over 4 1/3 innings in his start on Sunday, Smith's 4.20 ERA ranks second among qualified AL rookie starting pitchers. Over his first 13 career starts, he never allowed more than three earned runs in a game and posted a 2.37 ERA (18 ER, 68 1/3 IP) with 64 strikeouts and just four home runs allowed. Over his past four starts Smith has yielded 22 runs (21 earned) in 15 1/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and 10 walks.

“The journey of where he was to where he is now and where he's still trying to go, and the progression of him as a pitcher and how much he's developed in this short period of time, and now to have this accomplishment, is huge,” said pitching coach Ethan Katz. “He's done a lot in his time here, adding the changeup, changing the cutter to a slider. He's done a bunch of things while also learning the league and having to face the best of the best.”

Both Katz and Venable said it was clear to them in Spring Training that they had a unique talent in Smith.

“Honestly, the Spring Training outing against the Dodgers was where I feel like he set the tone for what he was going to be,” Venable said. “That was the one that sticks out, like, ‘Oh, this dude is legit,’ and he's just followed up ever since then with quality outings. Overall, man, it's just been a nice body of work.”

The outing against the Dodgers came on March 8, when Smith threw three scoreless innings against the World Series champs, allowing just one hit while striking out five.

Smith threw 5 2/3 innings in his big league debut on April 1, allowing two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out three against the Twins. In his second start on April 8 at Cleveland, he pitched 5 2/3 no-hit innings and finished with six scoreless. His first win came in his fifth start on April 24, when he threw five scoreless innings on four hits and one walk while striking out seven against Minnesota.

Smith would be lined up to start Friday at home against the Guardians and then the following Wednesday in a normal week, but with the All-Star break, the White Sox have July 14-17 off.

“Whether or not he'll be available [to pitch in the All-Star Game], we'll see as we get there,” Venable said. “It might line up, but we haven't talked about those logistics at all.”

Smith’s teammates, from his oldest friends to the newest White Sox big leaguers, were overjoyed for where his journey landed him.

“I'm not shocked at all,” said Mike Vasil, who has known Smith since high school. “How he works and the way he goes about his business, the way he came into his big league career as a Rule 5 player, just like me -- it's very special. It's hard to not get emotional about it for him. To know him from a young age until now, it's just very, very cool.”

Colson Montgomery -- Chicago’s No. 5 prospect, who has made a big splash in his first three big league games and notched his second multihit game in a row Sunday -- was equally effusive.

“I'm so happy for him getting selected,” Montgomery said. “He's a great guy and a better teammate. He's definitely an easy guy to go out there and do whatever I can for, make diving plays, do whatever, because he works his butt off and he leaves it all on the field.”

Whether he pitches in the All-Star Game or not, Smith is eager to soak in the experience.

“Trying to be like a sponge,” Smith said. “If they have anything for me, I'd love to meet the best pitchers in the game and try and be a sponge.”