The 2025 baseball season is coming to a close, and the Birmingham Barons will play their final series of the regular season this week. The focus will then shift to the playoffs, as the 2024 Southern League champions will look to defend their title.
However, they’ll have to do it without top prospect Braden Montgomery. The 22-year-old outfielder will be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season with a fracture in his foot after being hit by a pitch in Saturday’s game.
Braden Montgomery suffered a small fracture in his right foot when he was hit by pitch on Saturday at Chattanooga. Likely to miss rest of regular season and postseason, but still expected to participate in AFL when healed, per White Sox
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) September 9, 2025
Montgomery has emerged as the top position player in the Chicago White Sox farm system this season. He is currently ranked as the White Sox No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline, and for good reason.
Braden Montgomery's first professional season is now over
The 2024 first round pick of the Red Sox made his pro debut in 2025, finishing with an .804 OPS and 12 homers across three minor league levels.
Montgomery was known as a power-first bat coming out of Texas A&M last season, but has flashed an above-average contact ability this year.
His rise all the way to Double-A in his first professional season now puts him on the radar for an MLB call-up in 2026.
The White Sox don’t have a ton of competition in the outfield, with the veterans Mike Tauchman and Michael A. Taylor nearing their mid-30s and on short-term contracts. Andrew Benintendi’s defensive struggles make him better suited for a DH role as he ages. Luis Robert Jr.'s team option should be picked up by the White Sox, but this still leaves two open outfield spots that Montgomery could be in the conversation for.
While it’s unlikely that Montgomery will break camp with the 2026 White Sox, continuing to produce at the Double-A and Triple-A levels could put him in line for a midseason call up.
Still on track to play in the Arizona Fall League
Montgomery’s minor league season may be over, but he’s not finished for the rest of the year. The White Sox previously announced that Montgomery will be participating in the Arizona Fall League in October, and Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports that he is still expected to play in the AFL this season.
With only about a month until the start of the AFL, Montgomery’s fracture doesn’t seem to be on the serious side.
The White Sox have been prioritizing reps for many of their young players this season, evidenced by the group heading to Arizona.
For Montgomery, who is playing in his first professional season and has never participated in a season of this length, the White Sox are right to get him taking as many at-bats as possible and getting used to the grind of a long season.
A healthy Braden Montgomery should continue to impress with his talent, and should be one of the most exciting pieces to watch in 2026.