Former Oswego East High School baseball player to start for Chicago White Sox Tuesday: 'so proud'

OSWEGO, Ill. (WLS) -- Just a few short years ago, Noah Schultz was pitching on the field for Oswego East High School. On Tuesday, he makes his first start ever for the Chicago White Sox.

In the 2022 Major League Baseball draft, the White Sox's first choice was the hometown boy.

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Schultz made the leap from high school to professional baseball. His family and friends are bursting with excitement.

"I'm just so proud of him. No one really knows the journey, the grind. And he's put in the time and hopefully he'll enjoy it," mother Kim Schultz said.

Schultz and his two older sisters settled on baseball and softball at early ages. His sisters played collegiate softball. Schultz accepted a $2.8 million signing bonus with the White Sox to skip college and go straight to the pros.

He spent just three years in the minor league system before being called up to make his major league debut Tuesday. Oswego will be cheering him on.

"He's a local kid. Cheer on our community. It's good for the sport, good for the Oswego East area. We're super excited," Oswego East baseball coach Brian Schaeffer said.

Schultz's parents were not professional athletes. They are unsure from where he got his athletic talent and his height: He is a 6'10" lefty.

His mother says he and the whole family dedicated themselves to travel sports.

"Fifteen years of travel, no vacations, sacrifice, there was no going to Disney World," Kim Schultz said.

She said she believes the sacrifice has paid off, and she'll be proud, no matter how things turn out. His former coach believes they will turn out pretty well.

"He's got the talent. Hopefully he stays healthy, and he's gonna do great things," Schaeffer said.

The entire Oswego East baseball team will be in the stands Tuesday.

The Sox play the Rays at 6:40 p.m. at home.