The Chicago White Sox allowed a peak into a promising future with some of their top-100 prospects getting playing time during the early part of the exhibition season.
However, that run is over.
Well, at least for three of the six prospects the White Sox have in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. The team sent their top pitching prospects, Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, down to minor-league camp yesterday.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 6, 2025
The White Sox followed up those moves by sending outfielder Braden Montgomery to minor-league camp today. He is considered the Sox's sixth-best prospect,
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 7, 2025
While all three of these players had no chance of making the 26-man roster, it would have been nice for them to stay in big-league camp for another week or two.
This season is going to be rough, so it was pleasant seeing the glimmer of hope these three players provided during camp. Its sure beat watching Joey Gallo strikeout as he tries to make the club.
It was nice seeing what Montgomery could do after he missed last year's Complex League season with a broken ankle he suffered during the NCAA Tournament. The former first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in last year's draft came to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade.
He was the co-headliner of the return along with fellow top-100 prospect Kyle Teel. However, Teel is much further along in his development where he has a legit shot of making the 26-man roster at catcher.
Montgomery finally got his first taste of professional competition in spring training and held his own with two hits and three walks in seven games.
It will be interesting to see where he starts in the Sox farm system. Since he did not participate in the Complex League last year, the front office could decide to have him start there.
However, Arizona Complex League play does not start until May 3rd. He could go to Low-A Kannapolis where the Cannon Ballers season starts in April.
Schultz and Smith are considered the two best left-handed pitching prospects. Both showed they have the potential to be an ace combo capable of leading the White Sox back to respectability.
However, they need to build up their arms to be able to handle a big-league workload. Still, it would have been nice to see them throw in more than two outings.
Although opportunities were going to become limited as pitchers destined for the 26-man roster need to start ramping up their inning workload to be ready for the season.
It makes sense for the Sox to send Schultz and Smith down after they finished their work against the Milwaukee Brewers a few days back.
Montgomery on the other hand, maybe could have gotten a few more at-bats since this is still not totally at the point of camp where the team needs to take a long look at players competing for roster spots.