Two ProHogs in MLB Postseason

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Two ProHogs are in this year’s Major League Baseball postseason.

Outfielder Andrew Benintendi and pitcher Hagen Smith will have a shot at hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy with the Chicago White Sox. Both former Razorbacks were included on the White Sox’ 26-man roster for the American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Benintendi, who played at Arkansas from 2014-15, slashed .240/.302/.413 with 15 home runs and 78 RBI across 141 regular-season games for the White Sox this year. The 2015 Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy winner previously secured a World Series championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

Smith, who pitched at Arkansas from 2022-24, made his MLB debut this season and has lived up to his draft-day billing. The left-hander, selected by the White Sox with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is 3-3 with a 1.29 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 28.0 innings across 18 appearances, including one start, on the mound.

Smith, scheduled to make his second career start — and first in the postseason — against the Astros, will be the fourth rookie in White Sox history to start a postseason game, joining Dane Dunning (2020), Jason Bere (1993) and Dickey Kerr (1919), and, at 23 years and 41 days, the second-youngest White Sox pitcher to start a playoff game behind Bere (22.136).

Six former Hogs have won a World Series title. Dick Hughes (St. Louis Cardinals, 1967), Eric Hinske (Boston, 2007/New York Yankees, 2009), Dallas Keuchel (Houston, 2017), Benintendi (Boston, 2018), Drew Smyly (Atlanta Braves, 2021) and Ryne Stanek (Houston, 2022) have each hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Stay up-to-date on all of this year’s MLB postseason action at www.mlb.com/postseason.

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