(670 The Score) White Sox minor league shortstop Colson Montgomery’s professional education is taking another step forward.
A first-round pick last summer and the team's top-rated prospect by MLB Pipeline, Montgomery is one of 60-plus players working at the White Sox’s minor league camp at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona as the MLB lockout continues. It’s the next step in a path that began when he played in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League last season after signing with the White Sox.
Montgomery, who turns 20 on Sunday, hit .287 with a .758 OPS in 26 games in rookie ball. Now, he’s excited to get to work under the supervision of White Sox manager Tony La Russa and his staff, which has more time to focus on the youngsters as the big league players remain in labor negotiations with owners.
"Going into my rookie ball season last year, I kind of had a lot of confidence going in there,” Montgomery said. “I also got to see how the other players performed and had to offer. I feel my confidence is the same as it was back then. Playing with them now, I still feel good and my confidence is pretty high.”
Montgomery admitted the last eight months have been crazy as life has changed quickly for him on and off the field.
“It's been a whirlwind,” Montgomery said. “Just coming out of high school and the state finals game to being drafted and out to Birmingham for a little mini-camp, going straight into rookie ball, it all happened kind of quick. But I tried to take it in stride. I have had a lot of guys help me with everything.
I am really excited going into my first full season. I am not worried about homework any longer with all the college guys here and what they say about it. This is not overwhelming, especially with how young I am and what everyone tells me about it's just a process. There are going to be ups and downs with a lot of things, but you're young, you've got a lot of time. You can learn a lot, especially with being so young and being around these older guys.”
The learning curve is big for Montgomery, but he’s having fun.
“It’s really not anything like high school baseball,” he said. “Everyone at the level is very good. These guys are all here for a reason. The talent here really jumped out at me. It showed me how hard you have to work and that there are many guys who are really talented out here.”
The White Sox are bullish on Montgomery’s outlook.
“Colson is a gifted athlete," White Sox assistant general manager and director of player development Chris Getz said earlier this week. “His focus once was on basketball and baseball, and now it's primarily on baseball. The more I am around Colson, the more I am impressed with him. He has great prescience and confidence – that is off the field, but certainly how he carries himself on the field by always being under control and not showing any panic. When you draft shortstops or up-the-middle players, you look for certain qualities. I feel like Colson has that. Even though he has played a little less baseball than some guys who have come into our system, he really is pretty polished. I think what he accomplished last summer makes me excited about his 2022 season. Colson has a sweet swing and stays through the baseball. He is under control in the box. He uses the whole field. On defense, he is a bigger guy (6-foot-4), but based on his arm and foot speed, we feel he will be able to be a shortstop and stay in this game a long time.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.