Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

McDougal starred at the inaugural MLB Draft Combine in 2021, leading the White Sox to select him in the fifth round and pay him an over-slot $850,000 bonus. Following his brief pro debut, he blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery that October. He has displayed some of the best stuff in the system since returning in 2023, though he has struggled with his control and command.

McDougal's fastball sits in the upper 90s and touches 100 mph, though it features more downhill plane than life and can get hit hard when he doesn’t locate it well. He generates high spin rates on two different breaking balls. His upper-70s downer curveball can make hitters look silly, but it has so much downer break that he rarely lands it in the zone, while his upper-80s slider is more reliable if less devastating.

While McDougal's upper-80s changeup has some fade, he doesn't trust it or have much success with it. He lacks a polished delivery and doesn't repeat it well, which leads to below-average command of his fastball and control of his secondary pitches. His repertoire and lack of finesse may make him better suited for a relief role, though his mid-rotation starter ceiling will keep him in the rotation for a while.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40  

McDougal overcame an inconsistent senior season as a Nevada high schooler with one of the better performances at the inaugural MLB Draft Combine in 2021. After he spun two shutout innings with impressive pitch metrics, the White Sox selected him in the fifth round and bought him out of an Oregon commitment with an over-slot $850,000. He blew out his elbow following a brief pro debut, had Tommy John surgery in October 2021 and returned to game action on tight pitch counts in Single-A last season.  

McDougal had a low-90s fastball with plenty of induced vertical break, and now he's operating at 94-96 mph and touches 98 -- albeit with a lesser movement profile that features downhill plane more than life or carry. He can spin both of his breaking balls in excess of 3,000 rpm, and Chicago had him focus on a solid upper-70s curveball for most of last season before bringing back an average low-80s slider toward the end. His upper-80s changeup will flash some promising fade but is too firm. 

In order to make it as a starter, McDougal will have to reduce the effort in his delivery and improve his control and command. He did a better job of finding the zone later in the season and could take another step forward as he puts his elbow reconstruction further behind him. A tough competitor, he has a ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40 

Few players helped themselves more at the inaugural MLB Draft Combine in 2021 than McDougal, who had an inconsistent senior season as a Nevada high schooler. The son of Mike McDougal, a right-hander who reached Triple-A in the Orioles system, he parlayed two shutout innings and impressive pitch metrics at the Combine into an over-slot $850,000 bonus as a fifth-rounder. After a brief pro debut, he blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery in October 2021. 

McDougal had a 90-96 mph fastball with quality induced vertical break and high spin rates before he got hurt, and he ran his four-seamer up to 97 during instructional league last fall. With his projectable 6-foot-5 frame and the track record of pitchers adding velocity after elbow reconstruction, his heater could sit in the mid-90s in the future. He also showed he had regained the feel for his upper-70s curveball and low-80s slider, both of which can exceed 3,000 rpm, though they can blend together. 

McDougal's changeup lags behind his other pitches but can show promising fade at times. He does pitch with effort and will need to smooth out his delivery to provide consistent strikes and reach his ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. The White Sox love his competitiveness and the way he attacked his rehab. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40 

The White Sox have made a habit of giving over-slot bonuses to high school right-handers in recent Drafts, and they did so again by paying McDougal $850,000 in the fifth round. The son of Mike McDougal, a right-hander who reached Triple-A in the Orioles system, he had an inconsistent senior season as a Nevada high schooler but performed well in showcases and at the inaugural MLB Draft combine. After a brief pro debut in Rookie ball, he blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery last October, so his full-season debut will be on hold until 2023. 

McDougal featured some of the best pitch metrics among 2021 prepsters, including quality induced vertical break and high spin rates that give his 90-96 mph four-seam fastball promising carry up in the zone. Both his mid-70s curveball and upper-70s slider exceeded 3,000 rpm at the Combine, though they tend to blend together at times and could use more power. He's still figuring out his changeup, which has some fade but not enough velocity separation from his heater. 

McDougal still has lots of projection remaining in his lanky 6-foot-5 frame and there's a long track record of pitchers coming back from elbow reconstruction stronger than ever, so he should have added velocity in his future. His delivery features effort and he'll need to iron it out in order to provide more consistent strikes. He comes with both a ceiling of a mid-rotation starter as well as a good deal of reliever risk. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

The son of former pro pitcher Mike McDougal, who reached Triple-A in the Orioles system, Tanner featured some of the better pitching metrics in the 2021 high school crop. Though he had difficulty harnessing his stuff at times as a Nevada prep senior, he performed well in showcase settings and stood out at the inaugural MLB Draft Combine in June. The White Sox made him a fifth-round pick a month later and signed him away from an Oregon commitment for a well over-slot $850,000.

McDougal already sits in the low 90s and touches 96 with his fastball and there's still plenty of projection remaining in his lanky 6-foot-5 frame. He features quality induced vertical break on his heater, which also has high spin rates that create riding life up in the strike zone. Both his mid-70s curveball and upper-70s slider topped 3,000 rpm at the combine, though they need more power and blend together at times.

A work in progress, McDougal needs to gain strength and consistency. He's still developing feel for a changeup that has some fade but gets too firm, and he'll need to smooth out his delivery to provide more strikes. He comes with some bullpen risk, albeit with the upside of a high-leverage reliever if he changes roles.

Awards

SOU Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
07/06/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/18/2025	Chicago White Sox selected the contract of RHP Tanner McDougal from Birmingham Barons.
	06/18/2025	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to Birmingham Barons from Winston-Salem Dash.
	06/18/2025	Birmingham Barons activated RHP Tanner McDougal.
	04/04/2025	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to Winston-Salem Dash from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
	07/30/2024	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to Kannapolis Cannon Ballers from Winston-Salem Dash.
	04/02/2024	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to Winston-Salem Dash from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
	08/11/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Tanner McDougal.
	08/06/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers transferred RHP Tanner McDougal to the Development List.
	07/20/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Tanner McDougal.
	07/12/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers transferred RHP Tanner McDougal to the Development List.
	06/11/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Tanner McDougal.
	06/06/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers transferred RHP Tanner McDougal to the Development List.
	04/21/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Tanner McDougal from the 7-day injured list.
	04/14/2023	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers placed RHP Tanner McDougal on the 7-day injured list.
	04/13/2023	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to Kannapolis Cannon Ballers from ACL White Sox.
	04/05/2023	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to ACL White Sox from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
	11/08/2022	Kannapolis Cannon Ballers activated RHP Tanner McDougal from the 60-day injured list.
	04/08/2022	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to Kannapolis Cannon Ballers from ACL White Sox.
	08/14/2021	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to ACL White Sox from White Sox Organization.
	07/31/2021	RHP Tanner McDougal assigned to White Sox Organization.
	07/24/2021	Chicago White Sox signed RHP Tanner McDougal.