The Chicago White Sox have made their pick in the first round and it’s a good one. At number 22, the White Sox grabbed Colson Montgomery, a shortstop from Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Indiana. Montgomery was one of the top shortstops in the nation but will still need some development to get into the big leagues.
The Chicago White Sox made a very good selection at the 2021 MLB Draft.
The pick is exactly what the White Sox needed to get some depth behind Tim Anderson in the future. If you look at the scouting reports on MLB.com, you get a little bit of a glimpse of what Montgomery has to offer:
"“Montgomery has a good left-handed swing that should allow him to hit for average and power. He’s most effective when he uses the entire field rather than trying to pull pitches out of the park, and his approach got more consistent throughout the summer. His frame resembles Corey Seager’s at the same stage of their careers and he has the strength and bat speed to develop similar pop.”"
Montgomery was listed as the 25th ranked prospect on MLB.com’s 250 top draft prospects. The athletic Montgomery had to have caught the eye of General Manager Rick Hahn for his ability to play the position well. MLB.com talked more about him on their website ahead of the draft:
"“Though he plays shortstop in high school, Montgomery has fringy speed and figures to outgrow the position once he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame. He moves well for his size and should become at least an average defender with a solid arm at the hot corner. If he attends college at Indiana, he’ll be eligible for the 2023 Draft.”"
It looks like the time is now for Montgomery and the Sox. He may be in the minors this year and may end up backing up Anderson sooner rather than later.