Torpedo bats were all the rage earlier in the season, and one of the White Sox most promising rookies has now joined the movement. Colson Montgomery told reporters before tonight’s game that he has adopted that bat style. And the results speak for themselves.
Torpedo Bat Adoption
Per Montgomery, he started using the torpedo bat during last week’s series against the Tampa Bay Rays after talking to White Sox coaches about his contact point. He elaborated and said that the torpedo bat allows him to barrel up the ball better, given that he has long arms and frequently gets pitched inside by opposing pitchers. After hitting a home run the second time he used the torpedo style of bat, Montgomery has stuck with it. He reportedly even has more of these bats coming.
Power Explosion
Montgomery’s power has exploded since adopting the torpedo bats. He has hit four home runs and a double in just six games since transitioning to this bat, collecting 20 total bases and striking out just four times over that span. He has also accumulated a full 1.0 bWAR and 0.8 fWAR in just 20 MLB games. It has been an absolute transformation for the 23-year-old rookie, who performed so poorly in Triple-A earlier this season that he was sent back to the White Sox facility in Arizona to rework his swing and mental approach. It is safe to say that his work with Ryan Fuller, the White Sox Director of Hitting, has paid off big time.
Defensive Versatility
Power isn’t the only aspect of Montgomery’s game he has shown off recently. He has also displayed defensive versatility, holding his own at third base despite being a lifetime shortstop. His 20 MLB games have been split evenly between short and third base. He has made a couple of miscues in the field at the hot corner, but his ability to quickly adapt to a new defensive position at the MLB level without seeing his offensive production fall has been impressive to say the least.
Future Is Now For Colson Montgomery
Colson Montgomery is quickly proving why the White Sox believed in him. After battling inconsistency in the minors, his recent surge validates the organization’s long-term faith in him. It is hard to envision a scenario in which his MLB career could have begun any better. He will inevitably hit bumps as pitchers figure him out, but he has firmly put himself on the radar again. He is producing like a key piece of the White Sox future. Whether at shortstop or third base, his bat looks ready to anchor the lineup for years to come.
