Hagen Smith, the left-handed pitcher from Arkansas selected No. 5 overall in the 2024 Draft by the White Sox, has signed with the team for $8 million, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis. The slot value for the No. 5 pick was $7,763,700, and the White Sox’s overall pool is $14,593,300.

White Sox draft electric lefty Hagen Smith with No. 5 pick

The White Sox announced Smith’s signing, without disclosing financial details, as part of 20 of their 21 selections agreeing to terms on Tuesday afternoon. The $8 million bonus sets a White Sox record and surpasses Brendan McKay’s record ($7,005,000) for left-handed pitchers. Smith becomes the 12th player in MLB Draft history to receive a bonus of $8 million or more.

These are the highest signing bonuses in the history of the Draft

“Obviously, the performance track record, there’s not enough quality left-handers out there and he was the best in college this year,” said White Sox director of pitching Brian Bannister of Smith during a Tuesday Zoom call. “He has a nice power fastball that misses bats, unique approach angles, and the ability to spin a breaking ball.

“I’ve had an opportunity to work with Chris Sale and Carlos Rodón, who both had tremendous success with the White Sox. Looking at our ballpark and the types of pitchers who succeed here, [Smith] fit the mold. You can see the success [Garrett] Crochet has had this year with the addition of the cutter and the reshaping of his arsenal. Kind of taking a leap forward to a No. 1 type starter in the league. We think Hagen has that type of ceiling and that type of stuff.”