Montgomery seeking MLB debut in 2024, no matter the position 

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The question centered upon Colson Montgomery is not if he will get to the Major Leagues, but when he will reach the big leagues. And the specific timeline for the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 9 overall, per MLB Pipeline, should be the 2024 season

Will Montgomery arrive as a shortstop? That question would be second to Montgomery’s overall big league preparedness on the checklist, but Montgomery is ready for any sort of Major League challenge.

“I know they will have the trust in me that I’ll be able to do that,” Montgomery told MLB.com on Tuesday at Camelback Ranch. “It just comes out of being a baseball player to be honest. It’s all the same thing.

“There’s just a little different tendencies you have to do and rules, I guess, as a third baseman or second baseman. It’s fielding the ball, throwing to first: same game. That’s what I try to think about. It wouldn’t catch me too off guard. Probably take a couple of games to get used to it, but I wouldn't be too worried.”

Montgomery, who turns 22 on Feb. 27, will be at shortstop at the start of the ‘24 season, exactly where he has played since the White Sox took him 22nd overall in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He brings an offensive polish at the plate beyond his years and on-field experience, not to mention thump from the left-handed side.

After a strong showing during the Arizona Fall League, where Montgomery was named Most Valuable Player at the Fall Stars Game, the 6-foot-3, 205 pound Indiana native took a vacation to Cabo where he didn’t give baseball a first or second thought. He then traveled to Nashville on Dec. 1 for two months of baseball work through his Bledsoe Agency.

Sean Burke, ranked as the No. 14 White Sox prospect, and Montgomery shared a place in Nashville. They worked out with Major Leaguers such as Jake Burger, Brandon Lowe, Vinnie Pasquantino and Ryan Noda, giving Montgomery added information in preparation for Spring Training.

“It’s cool to constantly learn, be a student of the game,” Montgomery said. “All of them have been in the league and done pretty well, so it’s really cool to be around them.

“I’m feeling good. It all goes into preparation in the offseason. So, I worked my butt off. I kind of know what’s in front of me. There’s a lot of opportunity. As a player, I feel like that’s what you really want, the chance to have an opportunity for a lot of things.”

Health is a key for Montgomery, just as it is for any other player in camp around baseball. But Montgomery was limited to five plate appearances last Spring Training due to an oblique strain and didn’t make his regular season in the Minors debut until June 19 due to back issues.

All is good now for Montgomery, who can see the big league finish line in front of him. He’ll be working as a shortstop, but anything is possible when he’s ready to join the White Sox.

“That’s the plan for sure,” White Sox director of player development Paul Janish told MLB.com. “He’ll continue to play short. I think we can all agree, we are proponents of let’s give him that opportunity. But we are not in a position where we have to make that decision just yet.

“For the team being like it is, those types of evaluations are going to be circumstantial based on what’s going on. Like, what position is it? Second or third? How’s he playing? Is he healthy? All those things. At this point, we are going to give him the opportunity to play short, without a doubt, and kind of see how things unfold.”