Sox top prospects Schultz, Smith wow in first live bullpen

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It was just the first live bullpen session for southpaws Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, the top two left-handed pitching prospects in the game according to MLB Pipeline, taking place Sunday afternoon on the back fields of the White Sox Camelback Ranch facilities.

They were facing teammates Jacob Amaya, Tim Elko and Oscar Col¨¢s in a controlled environment, throwing somewhere just below 20 pitches.

But there¡¯s a reason so many White Sox front office people and coaches left smiling after they were done: This tandem is just that talented. Yes, they are certainly a little ways removed from the Major Leagues, but watching them in action provides some sense of a more hopeful future.

¡°I was really excited about everybody. It was a good day,¡± White Sox manager Will Venable said. ¡°Saw Penn Murfee, Jordan Leasure, these guys were filling up the zone. And of course Hagen and Noah looked great as well. I was excited to see them.¡±

¡°It was nice. I think that was my fourth time throwing live,¡± Smith said. ¡°I felt good, and it was good to face hitters again.¡±

Smith, the No. 34 prospect overall per MLB Pipeline, faced hitters a few times during a recent strength camp at Camelback Ranch leading into the start of Spring Training. The 21-year-old worked on throwing his offspeed pitches for strikes, focusing on the curve and slider, as he tossed to catcher Kyle Teel, MLB¡¯s No. 32 prospect.

¡°I¡¯ve been working the curveball a lot,¡± Smith said. ¡°A slower breaking ball so if people are hunting slider I can throw something slower and get them off-balance a little bit.

¡°Last year, I got a taste of it. I¡¯m ready to get back out there for a full year.¡±

Schultz, the No. 16 prospect overall, threw to veteran catcher Matt Thaiss, and on one pitch from the 6-foot-9 21-year-old, Thaiss proclaimed, ¡°That was nasty.¡±

It¡¯s an exclamation following Schultz throughout two impressive years in the Minors and probably will be heard again when he makes his Cactus League debut on Feb. 26 against the Padres at home.

¡°Right now, the focus for all our guys in Spring Training is building the foundation and the routine that¡¯s going to carry them throughout the season,¡± Venable said. ¡°And the things we need to do in the training room, weight room, gameplanning, understanding your strengths. Those things are going to be important for all of us and those guys especially as they are continuing to develop.¡±