Colson Montgomery

Colson Montgomery
Chicago White Sox – No. 12
Shortstop
Born: (2002-02-27) February 27, 2002 (age 24)
Holland, Indiana, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 4, 2025, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2026 season)
Batting average.210
Home runs52
Runs batted in142
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Colson Kade Montgomery (born February 27, 2002) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the White Sox in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft and made his MLB debut in 2025.

Amateur career

Montgomery was raised in Holland, Indiana, and attended Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Indiana, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He also played AAU basketball for Pocket City Basketball, a youth basketball program based in Evansville, Indiana. Montgomery began his high school career being recruited mainly for basketball by schools such as Purdue University and the University of Louisville before shifting his focus to baseball. In 2018, his freshman year, he had a .387 batting average with 33 runs batted in (RBI). As a sophomore, he averaged 21.1 points per game on the basketball court. He is the all-time leading scorer in Southridge basketball history with 1,966 career points.

As a junior, Montgomery committed to play college baseball at Indiana University. He also would have been a preferred walk-on for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team. In 2021, his senior baseball season, he batted .333 with seven home runs, 23 RBI, and 24 stolen bases, and led Southridge to their first ever IHSAA state championship. Following the end of the season, he traveled to Cary, North Carolina, where he participated in MLB's first ever Draft Combine.

Professional career

Minor leagues

The Chicago White Sox selected Montgomery in the first round with the 22nd overall selection of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the White Sox for a $3 million signing bonus. He made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League White Sox. Over 104 at-bats in 26 games, Montgomery slashed .287/.396/.362 with seven doubles and seven RBI.

Montgomery was assigned to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers of the Single-A Carolina League to begin the 2022 season. He was promoted to the Winston-Salem Dash of the High-A South Atlantic League in late June. Montgomery was promoted once again in mid-August to the Birmingham Barons of the Double-A Southern League. Over 96 games between the three teams, he slashed .274/.381/.429 with 11 home runs, 47 RBI, and 17 doubles. He opened the 2023 season on the injured list with oblique and back injuries. Montgomery returned to play in early June, playing ten games with the Arizona League White Sox before being assigned to the Dash. In late July, he was promoted to Birmingham. Over 64 games, he batted .287 with eight home runs and 37 RBI. After the season, he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Montgomery was assigned to the Charlotte Knights of the Triple-A International League for the 2024 season. In 130 games, he slashed .214/.329/.381 with 18 home runs, 63 RBI, and eight stolen bases. On November 19, 2024, the White Sox added Montgomery to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Montgomery was optioned to Charlotte to begin the 2025 season, batting .218/.298/.435 with 11 home runs, 30 RBI, and two stolen bases over 55 games.

Chicago White Sox

2025 season

On July 4, 2025, Montgomery was promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that day as the White Sox starting shortstop at Coors Field versus the Colorado Rockies. He recorded his first MLB hit the next day off Rockies starting pitcher Germán Márquez, an RBI triple, and finished the game 3-for-5. On July 22, Montgomery hit his first career home run off of Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit his first career grand slam on August 23 off of Mick Abel of the Minnesota Twins. Montgomery finished his rookie year with the White Sox having appeared in 71 games and hitting .239 with 21 home runs and 55 RBI. He finished fifth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

2026 season

Montgomery was named to his first Opening Day roster as the White Sox starting shortstop to begin the 2026 season.

On September 25, Montgomery struck out for the 224th time of the season, which surpassed a record previously set by Mark Reynolds in 2009. It also served as a new record for a left-handed hitter, surpassing a record previously set by Adam Dunn in 2012 (also with the White Sox). Overall in the 2026 regular season, Montgomery struck out a single-season record 227 times and ended the season with a .197 batting average, 31 home runs and 87 RBI in 153 games played. He made his postseason debut in the 2026 American League Wild Card Series and recorded his first postseason hit, a solo home run, in Game 1.

Personal life

Montgomery grew up a fan of the New York Yankees, citing Derek Jeter as his favorite player.

References

  1. ↑ "Southridge's Colson Montgomery preparing for MLB Draft". Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). June 22, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Montgomery readies for last basketball rodeo". Dubois County Herald. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Colson Montgomery – Pocket City Basketball". Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ Demling, Jody (February 18, 2019). "Multi-sport Indiana star enjoys visit to Louisville basketball". 247Sports. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  5. ↑ Magley, Hendrix (April 22, 2020). "Southridge's Colson Montgomery has big plans for his future in baseball". Courier & Press. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  6. ↑ Sokeland, Kyle (May 4, 2019). "Colson Montgomery being recruited for D1 college basketball and baseball". Courier & Press. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Local athletes galore on PAC All-Conference squad". Dubois County Herald. March 5, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Montgomery made most of 'Last Dance'". Dubois County Herald. March 26, 2021.
  9. ↑ Magley, Hendrix (February 2, 2020). "Southridge's Colson Montgomery commits to play baseball at IU". Courier & Press. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  10. ↑ Ferguson, Aaron (June 21, 2021). "Potent Southridge lineup, featuring potential first-round pick, poses challenge for Hanover Central". nwitimes.com.
  11. ↑ Callis, Jim (March 26, 2022). "Colson Montgomery Spring Training interview". MLB.com. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  12. ↑ Magley, Hendrix. "All-SW Indiana baseball: Camden Gasser and Colson Montgomery motivated each other". Evansville Courier & Press.
  13. ↑ Magley, Hendrix. "'This year was going to be different': Southridge baseball wins Class 3A state title". Evansville Courier & Press.
  14. ↑ Hancock, Aaron (June 27, 2021). "Colson Montgomery preparing for MLB Draft at first-ever draft combine". www.14news.com.
  15. ↑ Greenberg, Jon; Fegan, James. "Can first-round draft pick Colson Montgomery translate his small-town fame to White Sox success?".
  16. ↑ "Colson Montgomery: Shortstop drafted by Chicago White Sox at No. 22 - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. July 13, 2021.
  17. ↑ Merkin, Scott (July 20, 2021). "Colson Montgomery signs with White Sox". MLB.com. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Colson Montgomery is Ready to Put in the Work". August 2, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Colson Montgomery looks to be a great White Sox draft pick". December 24, 2021.
  20. ↑ "White Sox top prospects begin season in Kannapolis". April 9, 2022.
  21. ↑ "White Sox promote former Southridge baseball star Colson Montgomery to High-A". June 24, 2022.
  22. ↑ "White Sox excited to launch 'Project Birmingham' with Class a callups". August 22, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Colson Montgomery Stats, Fantasy & News".
  24. ↑ "White Sox's Colson Montgomery: Ready for games". CBS Sports. June 19, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2026.
  25. ↑ "White Sox's top 3 prospects finally all up and running". June 23, 2023.
  26. ↑ "White Sox promote top prospect to Double-A Birmingham". July 31, 2023.
  27. ↑ Gregor, Scot (September 21, 2023). "After a forgettable season, will Anderson be back with White Sox in 2024?". Daily Herald. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  28. ↑ Dykstra, Sam; Mayo, Jonathan (September 22, 2023). "Rosters announced for 2023 Arizona Fall League". MLB.com. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  29. ↑ Callis, Jim (April 2, 2024). "Where Guardians top prospects are starting 2024 season". MLB.com. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  30. ↑ Pope, Lamond (February 18, 2025). "Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery eager for opportunity this spring". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  31. ↑ Adams, Steve (November 19, 2024). "White Sox To Select Colson Montgomery, Juan Carela". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  32. ↑ Adams, Steve (March 11, 2025). "White Sox Option Colson Montgomery". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  33. ↑ Pope, Lamond (July 1, 2025). "Chicago White Sox minor-league report: Colson Montgomery and Hagen Smith end June on positive notes". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  34. ↑ Franco, Anthony (July 4, 2025). "White Sox To Promote Colson Montgomery". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  35. ↑ Randhawa, Manny (July 4, 2025). "What an intro! Montgomery makes must-see catch in memorable MLB debut". MLB.com. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  36. ↑ Armentrout, Mitchell (July 6, 2025). "Colson Montgomery smacks triple for first career hit as White Sox, Sosa pound Rockies". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  37. ↑ Merkin, Scott (July 23, 2025). "Colson Montgomery hits first homer as White Sox lose to Rays". MLB.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  38. ↑ Merkin, Scott (August 24, 2025). "Colson Montgomery hits grand slam in White Sox win over Twins". MLB.com. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  39. 1 2 Merkin, Scott (November 10, 2025). "ROY voters take notice of Montgomery's partial season". MLB.com. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  40. ↑ Pope, Lamond (March 14, 2026). "Colson Montgomery staying 'in the moment' but eagerly awaiting his 1st opening day with Chicago White Sox". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  41. ↑ Fegan, James (September 26, 2026). "White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery sets new MLB single-season record for strikeouts". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  42. ↑ Sam, Doric. "White Sox SS Colson Montgomery on Wrong Side of MLB History After Breaking Strikeout Record". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  43. ↑ "White Sox's Montgomery looks to 'positives', not strikeout record". ESPN.
  44. ↑ Agrest, Jeff (October 4, 2026). "After rough finish, White Sox' Colson Montgomery hasn't lost sense of humor with 'full barrel' double". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  45. ↑ "Colson Montgomery reflects on unique 2025 season with Chicago White Sox: 'It was a pretty productive year'". Chicago Tribune. September 25, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2026.