Indiana Baseball Commit Colson Montgomery Picked by Chicago White Sox in 1st Round
Before Colson Montgomery's baseball season even started during his junior year at Southridge High School in southern Indiana, he committed to play baseball at Indiana.
But 17 months later, with his stock rising drastically, it looks like Montgomery might not make it to Bloomington after all. He was drafted in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft on Sunday night, being selected by the Chicago White Sox with the No. 22 overall pick.
Montgomery, one of the top prep players in the nation, was one of eight draftees who attended the event live at the Bellco Theatre in Denver, Colo., as part of the All-Star Game festivities. His draft stock has skyrocketed over the past two summers, and the White Sox are thrilled that he was still available at their pick.
He won a Class 3A state championship at Southridge this season, batting .333 this season with a seven home runs, 17 extra-base hits and 42 runs. He was so feared as a hitter that he was walked 39 times with 11 intentional walks, including two in the state championship game.
Montgomery signed with Indiana because of his connection with the coaching staff, he said back on signing day.
“It was mostly because of the connection I had with the head coach, Jeff Mercer,” Montgomery said in May. “It was just a connection that I knew that I didn’t feel like I could have with any other coach.
“Right now, in the front of my mind, is just be a kid. This is all kid stuff. I’m just taking it as this is all normal, but with extra things like the draft and then the decisions of if I want to go to college or start my professional baseball career, that just comes as time. I’m just trying to be in the present right now and enjoy my last couple days at Southridge High School, where it pretty much all started.”
Montgomery enjoyed the big evening with his family in Colorado, and they all shared hugs when his name was called by commissioner Rob Manfred, His father. T.J. Montgomery, shared a message with them before he went up on stage to meet Manfred.
"He just told me how proud he was of me. He said he loved me so much," Montgomery said in an interview with MLB Network after the selection was made. "I'm a little emotional right now."
Montgomery was one of two Indiana prep players who were drafted in the first round. Sam Bachman, a Hamilton Southeastern star who pitches at Miami of Ohio, was the ninth overall pick. And being from a small town like Huntingburg a bit south of Jasper hasn't slowed him down one bit.
"He’s focused, he’s dedicated and he wants to be the best. That’s what’s fun to see and that’s what these young kids see," Southridge coach Gene Mattingly told the Evansville Courier & Press. "Don’t let culture and the stigma of being from a small town dictate your ceiling. Go and make your ceiling."
Montgomery now has the option of signing with the White Sox and joining their minor-league system, or staying at Indiana to play college baseball. That decision will need to be made by mid-August.
Typically, first-round signing bonus money is hard to turn down. MLB's slotting system allows the White Sox to pay of a bonus of no more than $3.027 million, but teams also can offer less to spread that money around to other picks as well.
The draft, reduced to 20 rounds now, continues again on Monday, starting at 1 p.m. ET. The second through 10th rounds will take place on Monday, with 11-20 on Tuesday.
It's very possible that Indiana pitcher McCade Brown and center fielder Grant Richardson will be selected on Monday.