Self-described as "electric," Chicago White Sox prospect Braden Montgomery is looking for a place to stay in North Carolina. Montgomery is getting promoted to High-A Winston-Salem, first reported by Chase Ford of Milb Central and confirmed by MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
Montgomery was selected 12th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He never played a game in Boston's system and was part of the four-prospect package Chicago received in return for Garrett Crochet. 18 games into his professional career, Montgomery is already moving up the ladder.
The 22-year-old crushed the ball in Low-A Kannapolis, making his promotion a no-brainer for White Sox brass. Montgomery hit .304 with an on-base plus slugging percentage of .886 in 18 games. He added 19 RBI and six stolen bases without committing an error in the outfield.
Montgomery received high accolades before the season. MLB Pipeline rated him as the 51st-ranked prospect in baseball and fifth in the White Sox farm system. He might have the highest ceiling of any Chicago prospect and could earn another promotion before the season is over.
Predicting when Braden Montgomery makes his MLB debut and what he'll bring to the White Sox...
Montgomery isn’t expected to fast-track his way to the majors, so a debut in 2025 is highly unlikely. 2026 isn’t out of the question, and the White Sox should be motivated to put their best 26-man roster forward by then. A full star-studded year in the minors will push Montgomery to the brink of the big leagues.
A switch-hitting outfielder with plus power, Montgomery can fit seamlessly into any lineup in the MLB. He has performed better this season as a right-handed hitter compared to batting from the left side. This was reversed in college, but Montgomery had a .1365 OPS against lefties and a .718 OPS against righties in his first 18 games of professional ball. He can become a more dangerous and well-rounded hitter if he balances those numbers.
Montgomery told MLB.com that "it's pretty electric" when everything clicks for him on the diamond. He knows there's no reason to rush things, but if the call comes before it’s expected, Montgomery will feel he is ready. He appears to have the right mindset and has hit the ground running in the minors..
Montgomery doesn’t know when he'll be in the majors. He knows his time will come if he puts in the work every day.
“I have no clue. I haven’t been in professional baseball enough to really gauge it,” Montgomery said, per MLB.com. “I’ve only seen one level at this point. I don’t know how close, but I feel great. And continue to get better by the day. I’m just happy to be back on the field."
Montgomery will soon have two levels of minor league baseball under his belt. The road to the MLB has gotten a little shorter for him, and more eyes will follow him throughout the season. The White Sox could have an All-Star bat in the making with Braden Montgomery.