Minor League Baseball

The 'Other' Montgomery Gets the Nod as Top Power-Hitting Prospect for Chicago White Sox

Braden Montgomery, acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade, showed significant pop in his bat in college.
Jami Leabow|
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred takes a photo with Braden Montgomery after he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 12 pick during the first round of the MLB Draft in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 14, 2024.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred takes a photo with Braden Montgomery after he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 12 pick during the first round of the MLB Draft in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 14, 2024. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox fans have learned a lot about Colson Montgomery since the team selected the Indiana high schooler with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Ranked as the No. 39 prospect in the game by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, the 23-year-old is expected to contribute to the White Sox in 2025.

Lesser known is Braden Montgomery, who was selected No. 12 overall in the MLB draft last June and is one of the four well-regarded prospects the Boston Red Sox sent to Chicago to acquire starting pitcher Garrett Crochet.

Braden Montgomery, a 6-foot-2 outfielder, was playing at Texas A&M this time last year. Montgomery, who turns 22 in April, started his college career with two seasons at Stanford.

He finished his third college season with a .322 average, 27 home runs and 85 RBIs in 61 games. It’s that pop in his bat that led MLB Pipeline to name Montgomery the top power-hitting prospect for the White Sox in 2025.

MLB Pipeline had this to say about Montgomery, who it ranks as the No. 55 overall prospect in the game:

“The White Sox have multiple interesting sluggers, with the nod here going to Montgomery over shortstop Colson Montgomery (no relation) and outfielder George Wolkow. Braden launched 35 homers in two years at Stanford and 27 last spring at Texas A&M before the Red Sox drafted him 12th overall. A major part of the prospect package Boston gave up in the Garrett Crochet trade at the Winter Meetings in December, he’s a switch-hitter with power that plays from foul pole to foul pole.”

Montgomery hasn’t played a game in the minor leagues yet, but he’s getting his feet wet in the pros at spring training in Glendale, Ariz. He’s 1-for-3 in three games heading into Cactus League play on Friday.

The rebuilding White Sox certainly will be watching his progression throughout the 2025 season.

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Jami Leabow
JAMI LEABOW

Jami Leabow is the managing editor of Minor League Baseball on SI. Her love for the game began when her parents bought season tickets to the then-California Angels.

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