7 White Sox top prospects receive NRIs to Spring Training

CHICAGO -- Colson Montgomery, the No. 1 White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline, and Billy Hamilton, a veteran who strongly resonated with the fan base from a bench role in 2021, were two of the 26 players extended non-roster invites to 2023 Spring Training. The team agreed to terms on Minor League contracts with nine free agents and added 17 players from within their system.

Montgomery, 20, was the team’s top pick and 22nd overall selection in the 2021 Draft. The left-handed-hitting shortstop will be joined on the non-roster invite list by six players also in the White Sox Top 30 prospects list in outfielder Oscar Colas (No. 2), right-handed pitchers Sean Burke (No. 9) and Matthew Thompson (No. 15), outfielders Yoelqui Céspedes (No. 12) and Luis Mieses (No. 21) and catcher Adam Hackenberg (No. 30).

Right-handed pitchers Declan Cronin, Edgar Navarro, and Lane Ramsey, left-handers Fraser Ellard, Samuel Peralta and Andrew Perez, catcher Evan Skoug, infielders Moisés Castillo and Zach Remillard and outfielder Adam Haseley also received invites to Major League camp from within the White Sox Minor League system.

Colas, 24, hit .314 with an .895 OPS, 23 home runs, 24 doubles and 79 RBIs over stops with Triple-A Charlotte, Double-A Birmingham, and High-A Winston-Salem during the 2022 season. He has a legitimate chance to break camp as the White Sox starting right fielder, while Montgomery gets big league experience for the first time.

An earlier Tweet of Hamilton’s return to the White Sox on a Minor League deal produced a hugely positive social media response from fans, as the fleet-footed outfielder had nine stolen bases and was an energetic clubhouse presence in ’21 when the club won the American League Central. Joining Hamilton on a Minor League contract are right-handed pitchers Keynan Middleton and Jesse Scholtens, left-hander Nate Fisher, catcher Sebastián Rivero, infielders Hanser Alberto and Erik González and outfielders Jake Marisnick and Victor Reyes.

White Sox pitchers and catchers who are not participating in the World Baseball Classic will report to Spring Training on Feb. 15 for physicals and a workout. Position players will report and undergo physicals on Feb. 20. The first full-squad workout takes place the same day in Pedro Grifol’s first camp as the team’s new manager.

International signings

On Thursday, the White Sox added 11 more free agents to their international signing class, all from Venezuela. They are catchers Angelo Hernández ($500,000), Stiven Flores ($250,000) and Elías Riera ($35,000); infielders Javier Mogollón ($75,000), Eyke Ugueto ($60,000) and Adrián Gil ($40,000); outfielder Marcelo Alcalá ($50,000); and right-handed pitchers Óscar Hernández ($75,000), José Malavé ($50,000), Jordany Chirinos ($50,000) and Fabián Ysalla ($50,000).