After arguably the worst game of his young White Sox career, Colson Montgomery reminded everyone why he belongs in the big leagues.
Montgomery entered Monday night’s game against the Phillies fresh off a 0-for-4 performance at the plate in the series finale against the Cubs that included a strikeout and a pair of errors at third base. One of those miscues, an interference call during a rundown where he was caught standing in the baseline and collided with Ian Happ, allowed a run to score in what ultimately resulted in a 5-4 loss.
The MLB season is both mentally and physically taxing. Montgomery, just 20 games into his big league career, still has plenty to learn. While the 23-year-old rookie has enjoyed early success, a tough game in front of 38,000 fans can rattle even the most promising young player’s confidence, especially with his next challenge coming against Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez, who entered Monday’s game with a 2.55 ERA and had limited left-handed hitters to a .165 batting average.
But Montgomery was up to the task. During his first at-bat, he hammered a slider 395 feet to right field for his fourth home run in his last six games. The two-run homer left his bat at 104 mph, marking the first long ball Sanchez had allowed to a left-handed hitter all season. That stretch also included homering against Cubs ace Shota Imanaga, who has held left-handers to a .167 batting average on the season.
Montgomery followed that up in the bottom of the eighth with a sharp 100 mph line drive that deflected off first baseman Bryce Harper’s glove. The former All-State basketball player from Indiana flashed his athleticism, hustling down the line and beating the play at first as Harper scrambled to recover the ball and flip it to pitcher Seth Johnson, who was sprinting to cover the bag.
Montgomery finished the game going 2-for-4 at the plate, with three RBIs and a run scored. With the recent hot stretch, the White Sox former first-round pick is now slashing .273/.333/.515 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in his first 66 at-bats.
The key to Montgomery’s success has been his ability to elevate the ball to his pull side, something he’s doing at a 29.2% clip this season. He’s always been at his best when pulling the ball in the air—a strength that stood out even during his struggles at the plate in 2024. Despite inconsistencies that year, he still managed to pull fly balls at a 41% rate, which played a major role in his 18 home runs.
However, after hitting .204/.313/.361 in his first 153 games at Triple-A Charlotte, the White Sox decided to send him to Arizona in April to get some one-on-one work with his swing with the organization’s hitting director, Ryan Fuller. It was a shocking announcement for a player who was battling for a starting spot on the Opening Day roster during Spring Training.
Having to take one of your top prospects to another environment isn’t exactly a vote of confidence, but Montgomery used his two weeks in Arizona as a mental reset and hasn’t looked back.
Upon returning to the Charlotte Knights lineup, he cut down his strikeout rate from an alarming 40% down to just 22%. While his high strikeout rate in the majors is still a concern at 24.7%, he has made up for it with his ability to slug. His .492 expected slugging percentage would rank amongst the best in baseball if he had enough at-bats to be a qualified hitter. He has also showcased excellent bat speed and an ability to barrel the ball.
Of Montgomery’s 18 hits on the season, all but one (his second career homer in Tampa Bay) have been driven up the middle or pulled to left field.
Montgomery hasn’t just impressed with his bat, he has also proven to be a reliable defender at the hot corner. Despite only starting four games at third base in Triple-A Charlotte this season, the White Sox have split his starts with 10 at shortstop and 9 at third base this season. The White Sox No. 5 prospect has proven to be a capable defender at each position, with 2 Outs Above Average.
Pitchers will inevitably adjust, and Montgomery is bound to face some growing pains. But what he’s shown early in his career is an encouraging sign for a player the White Sox hope can become a cornerstone of their future.
