Chicago White Sox Top Prospect Dishes on Trade That Sent Him to Chicago

Speaking with MLB Network on Wednesday, Braden Montgomery spoke about the deal that sent him from Boston to Chicago this offseason.

Chicago White Sox Braden Montgomery (92) poses for a photo on media day at the team’s spring training facility in Glendale, AZ. on Feb. 20. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

This offseason, the Boston Red Sox made a huge move on the trade market, acquiring ace left-hander Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox for a group of highly-ranked prospects, including outfielder Braden Montgomery.

Montgomery, a first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2024, is a well-rounded outfielder who is currently ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the White Sox organization and the No. 54 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline.

He spoke with MLB Network on Wednesday as part of the "30 Teams in 15 Days" series to talk about being traded, his first exposure to professional baseball and other White Sox prospects he's enjoyed getting to see up close.

"I was just in the batting cages, in my normal daily stuff and I got a phone call that there was a unique situation at the big-league level and they made some moves, so it just kind of, I guess, jumpstarted my welcome to pro baseball and just kind of seeing what the landscape is like but it's awesome. I still get to play baseball at the end of the day so I'm happy."

Braden Montgomery (MLB's No. 54 prospect) joins @MLBNetwork to discuss his rehab from ankle surgery, being acquired by the @whitesox and which fellow prospects have impressed him the most:@MLBDevelops | @AggieBaseball pic.twitter.com/6Lf6S5cZuf

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 6, 2025

Montgomery didn't play pro ball after getting drafted last year because of an injury so he's certainly ready to go this year. He hit 27 home runs last season for Texas A&M.

The following comes from a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

More of a hit-over-power guy in high school, Montgomery has reversed that profile and now stands out with plus pop that plays from foul pole to foul pole. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick stroke from both sides of the plate, he's so much more effective as a lefty (.355/.465/.819, 17 percent strikeout rate at A&M) that some scouts think he should give up hitting as a righty (.227/.395/.485, 29 percent K rate). While he did improve his approach and ability to deal with breaking balls while in college, he still chases pitches and can struggle against non-fastballs.

Related MiLB Stories

COOPER PRATT, A NAME TO KNOW: The Milwaukee Brewers lost shortstop Willy Adames earlier this offseason, but they may have their long-term solution already in house. CLICK HERE:

GOING BATTY: The Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, have come up with a new logo for the 2025 season, and it looks awesome. CLICK HERE:

WEDGE GETS ANOTHER SHOT: Eric Wedge, who was once the American League Manager of the Year with the Guardians, is back, and he's managing the Dodgers' Double-A group. CLICK HERE: