As first reported by James Fox of FutureSox, White Sox top prospect Colson Montgomery will begin the season with Triple-A Charlotte. The move comes as the White Sox prepare to finalize their Opening Day roster ahead of Thursday’s game.
Montgomery, 22, has established himself as one of the premier prospects in the league, coming in at ninth overall in MLB Pipeline’s most recent top 100 list. The former first-rounder, who was reassigned to minor-league camp a couple of weeks ago, slashed .150/.308/.150 (3-for-20) with two runs driven in during Cactus League play.
After injuries delayed the start of his 2023 season, Montgomery joined the High-A Winston-Salem Dash in early July and proved to be too advanced for the competition. At that level, he had an eye-popping 198 wRC+ and walked in nearly 25% of his plate appearances. After a month he was finally called up to Double-A Birmingham to finish the season as the Baron’s starting shortstop. While his batting average at that level was only .249, he still showed an elite ability to draw walks and make extra-base contact, leading to an .827 OPS and a 129 wRC+.
Montgomery has all the tools it takes to develop into an All-Star caliber player at the MLB level. Though the decision to start him in the minors, do not be surprised if Montgomery forces the Sox’s hand and earns a promotion by the second half of the season.
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