Montgomery closed April by homering off José Soriano, one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, snapping his 25.2-inning scoreless streak. One day later, he delivered the first walk-off hit of his career to complete a sweep of the Angels and help the White Sox finish April 13-13. It was their first month at .500 or better since June 2023.
Montgomery’s rise is no longer just about a former top prospect getting hot. It is starting to line up with something bigger than his own breakout. The White Sox are still early in their climb, but their path to hanging around longer than expected depends on how much real power they can generate. Montgomery has become one of the biggest parts of that.
Since July 22 of last season, Montgomery has hit 29 home runs in 87 games. That puts him near the top of the league over that stretch. His defensive growth at shortstop has made the profile even more valuable. The strikeouts remain the obvious limiter, but the overall shape is getting harder to ignore.
If Montgomery can hold 30-plus homer power and remain a positive defender at shortstop, the White Sox are looking at the framework of one of the top shortstops in the league. If the contact rate takes even a small step forward, they’re looking at something even more special.
This isn’t just about Montgomery proving he belongs. His development can shape the White Sox’s competitive outlook for years down the line. One season after his reset, he looks like a central piece of whatever this next version of this team proves to be.
A Year Removed From Arizona
In late April of last year, the White Sox moved Montgomery from Triple-A Charlotte to Arizona for a reset. He had opened the year with a chance to push for a major league role, but early struggles changed the timing. His swing was out of sync, and the results reflected it. The organization acted before the slump deepened.
Work with Ryan Fuller focused on returning Montgomery to a more natural setup. He tested adjustments, reviewed swing data, and stepped away from daily results. By season’s end, he described the process as a return to what felt most comfortable and athletic.
Montgomery didn’t need to build a swing from scratch. The adjustments he made were about giving him a better way to control the one he already had. In Arizona, the White Sox worked through the physical checkpoints that had started to drift, including his setup posture and how his body moved through contact.
