White Sox option Colson Montgomery to Triple-A

Full disclosure: I've been bearish on the idea of Colson Montgomery as the White Sox Opening Day shortstop this year.

I understand Sox fans are tired of watching short-term stopgaps at almost every position on the diamond. I understand Sox fans want a glimpse of the future. I understand Sox fans are starving for hope of any sort. 

But the reality is Montgomery isn't ready for the task right now.

Team management agrees. On Tuesday, the Sox announced they are optioning the No. 39 prospect in baseball to Triple-A Charlotte. I see a lot of folks on social media expressing disappointment over this decision, but it's the right call.

If we're being honest, Montgomery hasn't proven he can hit at Triple-A yet. The ballpark in Charlotte is paradise for hitters, but the 23-year-old struggled in 130 games at that level in 2024, batting .214/.329/.381 with 18 homers, 63 RBIs and 164 strikeouts in 572 plate appearances. Only a strong finish brought Montgomery's OPS up to .710.

Yes, he did hit well in a small sample size in 11 games in the Arizona Fall League -- .311/.511/.656 with three homers, 10 walks and only six strikeouts in 45 plate appearances. Alas, the AFL is a hitters' league, and it's generally void of top pitching prospects. A halfway decent hitting prospect *should* dominate in that league.

I would have been skeptical of Montgomery even if he was having a good run in the Cactus League right now. Instead, he missed about 10 days with back spasms, and after homering in the spring training opener against the Cubs, he hasn't had a hit since. He's 1 for 9 with five strikeouts.

Given the timing of the injury, it's best that he start in Charlotte. Hopefully, he performs well in Triple-A for a couple of months, and then he can come to Chicago healthy and in top form later in the season.

Where does that leave the Sox for a shortstop in the short run? It's ugly. The candidates include Chase Meidroth, who is better suited for second base; Jacob Amaya, a good fielder who couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat; and Brooks Baldwin, who looks like a future utility player.

The Sox front office made a mistake by not bringing in a serviceable veteran who can handle the position. They put all their eggs in the basket of Montgomery being ready, and that is simply not the case.

But, at least they are not doubling down on this. They are acknowledging that Montgomery needs more time in the minors. It's the correct move for the player and the team.

White Sox trade Garrett Crochet to Boston for 4 prospects

Stop me if you've heard this one before: The White Sox traded an ace left-handed starter to the Boston Red Sox for four prospects.

We all remember when Chris Sale was traded on Dec. 6, 2016, to kick off the last rebuild. That didn't work out so well, so we're all left to hope this latest move works a little better.

The Sox sent Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox on Wednesday, in exchange for Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez.

You won't get any excitement about prospects from me. Until I see some guys become productive players in Chicago, I'm going to cast a cynical eye toward this move. I've been burned before. That said, here's what we know about the four players acquired:

Teel: The left-handed-hitting catcher is a consensus top 30 prospect in baseball, and he was ranked the No. 4 prospect in the Boston system. A first-round selection in the 2023 draft, the 22-year-old started last season at Double-A Portland, where he batted .299/.390/.462 with 11 homers and 60 RBIs in 84 games. That earned him a promotion to Triple-A Worcester, where the numbers were more modest in a smaller sample: .255/.374/.343 with two homers and 18 RBIs in 28 games.

Teel is an athletic player with a strong arm, and he's described as a good enough receiver that he should be able to stay behind the plate, although he has played some games at corner outfield positions. Note the high on-base percentage at both levels last season. Teel isn't projected to have big power, but we know the Sox have a need for batters who can get on base.

Montgomery: A first-round pick (12th overall) in the 2024 draft, the 21-year-old outfielder has yet to make his professional debut because of a gruesome ankle injury suffered in the College World Series in June. He was the fifth-ranked prospect in the Boston system.

A switch-hitter, Montgomery is a power prospect who projects as a corner outfielder -- most likely right field, as he possesses enough arm strength to play there. He batted .322/.454/.733 with 27 homers and 85 RBIs for Texas A&M University last spring. Most of his power comes from the left side of the plate, so if you want to dream, we know left-handed power plays well at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The question, of course, is how Montgomery recovers from the ankle injury. He's expected to be ready for spring training. We'll see. Again, note the on-base percentage.

Meidroth: The 23-year-old infielder is likely the closest to major league ready of any player the Sox acquired in this deal. Meidroth spent 2024 at Triple-A Worcester, where he batted .293/.407/.401 with seven homers, 57 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He was the No. 11 player in the Boston system.

Again, note the on-base percentage. Meidroth drew 105 walks during the 2024 season, and he struck out in only 12.7% of his plate appearances. Expect a lot contact, but probably not a lot of hard contact. Meidroth has played second base, shortstop and third base, with his most likely long-term home being second base.

Hey, the Sox have a gaping hole at second base! Getting traded to Chicago might be this kid's lucky day.

Gonzalez: The right-handed pitcher was the No. 14 prospect in the Boston system. Gonzalez, 22, has a fastball that tops out at 98 mph, but to quote Lou Brown, somebody better teach this kid some control before he kills somebody. He walked 46 guys in 83.2 innings at Double-A Portland in 2024. 

Gonzalez went 4-3 with a 4.73 ERA in 24 games, 19 of them starts. The book on him is he throws fastball, slider, change. The slider is a relatively new pitch, and if he can harness it, maybe he sticks as a starter. If not, he's destined for the bullpen.

And he's Venezuelan, which means Ozzie Guillen will love him!

There you have it. That's the best I can do to put a positive spin on the trade. As they always say, it will be years before we can fully judge it. We can fully judge the Sale trade now. It stunk. Hope this one is better.