Colson Montgomery Fuels White Sox Hype with Monstrous First Spring Homer

Stepping up to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning, Colson Montgomery did what he does best.

The shortstop drew a 3-0 count before seeing exactly the pitch he hoped for. Righty Lyon Richardson sent the left-handed batter a 94.3 mph four-seamer right at the top of the zone. Montgomery could have held off and drawn a walk. Instead, he swung for the fences ... literally.

The ball traveled 421 feet over the right field wall. It left the park with a 104.6 exit velocity and on a 37-degree launch angle. In other words, Montgomery crushed it. Unfortunately for those at home, the White Sox meeting with the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon isn't being broadcast, which means footage from those inside Camelback Ranch will have to do!

#WhiteSox Colson Montgomery bomb #MLB #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/Zz9Yi9nkAP
— Az Sports Fan (@SameOleCards88) February 25, 2026

Colson Montgomery's High Expectations

Colson Montgomery of the White Sox — Sep 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery (12) hits a two run home run against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

All things considered, Colson Montgomery felt like the most important player to keep an eye on in Wednesday's lineup. While he was supposed to suit up for his second spring training camp the other day, manager Will Venable scratched him late due to an illness. In his first appearance on February 21, he failed to make anything happen. The infielder was batting clean up and finished with one walk and two strikeouts.

Arguably, no returning player comes into 2025 with a higher set of expectations than Montgomery. Called up to the White Sox in July, the former top prospect made his debut on July 4 against the Colorado Rockies. For the next month, Montgomery looked like one of the most exciting young players in baseball. He single-handedly pumped some much-needed life into the Sox' dugout, slugging for 21 homers in 71 games.

While an August slump would eventually serve as a reminder of all the work he still has to put in, there is no question that Montgomery's first taste of the bigs was a success. The 23-year-old slashed .239/.311/.529 during his rookie campaign with 55 RBIs. There is a reason Buster Olney named him as an honorable mention in his Top 10 players at every position.

For Montgomery to continue on his upward trajectory this season, reducing his strikeouts and putting more balls in play will be key. His K rate sat right around 30.0 percent, as he tallied 83 in his 255 at-bats. At the same time, the Sox are likely prepared to live with some swings and misses if it means Montgomery's power stays intact. The 14.4 percent barrel rate is very hard not to get excited about.

As for his fielding, Montgomery will most certainly man the shortstop position for the majority of games this season. But what about long-term? Is he good enough to avoid a move around the diamond? He was better than some expected last season, but the Sox also have no lack of potential infielders in their farm system. Projected No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky will likely soon be one of them, and he has been one of the top defensive players in baseball throughout his career.

Nevertheless, that is a topic for another day. All that matters now is that Montgomery continues to show that he's prepared to build on last season's success and help this franchise turn things around. His 421-foot blast is a good start!