White Sox fall to Diamondbacks 6-3 on June 23, 2025, but rookie Grant Taylor shines in his MLB debut. Recap Shane Smith's start & Taylor's relief outing.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another night at the Rate, another tough loss. The Chicago White Sox dropped the series opener to the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3, a familiar script for the 24-53 club. But amid the predictable outcome, a spark ignited in the seventh inning, a flash of the future named Grant Taylor, who made his MLB debut and showed exactly why the organization is so high on him.
We’re focused on building something sustainable. The young guys are getting valuable experience, and that’s going to pay off.
The game itself played out like many before it this season. Starter Shane Smith, despite showing flashes of his potential with six strikeouts, was tagged for five runs (four earned) over five innings, falling to 3-5. A three-run homer by Arizona's Eugenio Suárez in the third inning created a deficit the Sox offense couldn't overcome. While Chase Meidroth continued his solid play with a 2-for-4 night including an RBI double, and Miguel Vargas launched a solo shot, it wasn't enough to counter a strong outing from D-backs starter Eduardo Rodriguez. The loss is another tally in the wrong column, but the focus, as it has been all year, quickly shifted to the development milestones.
The undisputed highlight of the evening was the major league debut of No. 6 prospect Grant Taylor. The hard-throwing righty took the mound in the seventh and delivered a scoreless frame, working around a walk to notch his first career strikeout. It was a poised and powerful performance that had the dugout buzzing. 'He belongs here and just needs to keep doing what he’s been doing,' praised veteran reliever Steven Wilson. Manager Will Venable indicated Taylor will be brought along carefully in shorter stints, but the vision is clear: he's a major piece of the future, whether as a multi-inning weapon or a future starter.
Taylor's arrival is just the latest move in a full-scale youth movement. He joins a roster flush with recent call-ups like catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, and first baseman Tim Elko. And more help could be on the way, as reports indicate infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin is tearing it up in Triple-A Charlotte and nearing a return to Chicago. While the big-league club takes its lumps, the front office is clearly using this season to give its top prospects invaluable experience. The rebuild's progress isn't always linear, however, as former top prospect Colson Montgomery was recently sent to Arizona for a reset after struggling in Charlotte.
The focus on youth is powered by a farm system that remains a legitimate source of hope, boasting six Top 100 prospects. While fans are seeing players like Smith and Meidroth contribute now, others like outfielder Braden Montgomery are thriving in the lower levels. The biggest concern remains pitching depth, which has been decimated by injuries. The news that Drew Thorpe is out for the year after Tommy John surgery was a major blow, and he's not alone, with three other Top 30 arms also currently on the shelf. The health of the organization's young pitchers will be critical to the long-term success of this rebuild.
So yes, the White Sox lost again. The 2025 season continues to be a difficult one to watch from a wins-and-losses perspective. But on nights like Monday, the final score feels secondary. Seeing Grant Taylor dominate in his first taste of the majors, watching Chase Meidroth look like a seasoned veteran—these are the real victories. This is the process Will Venable preaches. The path back to contention is long, but these glimmers of the future are the signposts that show the Sox are, hopefully, heading in the right direction.
