The White Sox have signed high school shortstop Colson Montgomery, their first-round selection in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft. The deal is worth the full slotted bonus value of $3,027,000, as first reported by MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis.
Montgomery, 19, hit .333 with nine doubles, seven home runs, 23 RBI and 42 runs scored during his senior season with Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Indiana. He helped guide the Raiders team to the IHSAA Class 3A state championship, and was recently named Male Athlete of the Year at the Indian High School Sports Awards. He was also an All-America Second Team selection by both Baseball America and MaxPreps.
“Colson is an outstanding young talent who we fully believe will stay at shortstop at the professional level,” said Mike Shirley, White Sox director of amateur scouting on draft night. “At the plate, he shows substantial hit and power to profile, and he is a three-sport athlete — a shortstop, quarterback and point guard — who has chosen to take his baseball career to the next level.”
Montgomery entered the 2021 draft rated by MLB.com as the No. 25 overall, No. 7 infield, and No. 14 high school prospect. With his selection, he became the first prep player to be drafted by the team in the first-round since Courtney Hawkins and Keon Barnum in 2012. He was also the first shortstop drafted by the organization in the first-round since All-Star Tim Anderson in 2013.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Montgomery didn’t limit himself to just baseball in high school. He was a three-sport athlete at Southridge, playing basketball and football in addition. His father T.J. Montgomery shared more details on this and his son’s impressive college recruitment process in a recent exclusive interview.
Up next for Colson, the 22-round selection will head to Alabama for a draft minicamp. From there, he’ll be off to the team complex in Arizona to begin his journey within the organization.
If you are attending Tuesday night’s game, be sure to get there early as Montgomery is expected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Let’s give him a warm South Side welcome!
For more information on the first-rounder, check out our draft report from last week. Be sure to also follow us on social media @SoxOn35th for further updates!
Featured Photo: White Sox/Twitter
