The White Sox announced the signing of first-round draft choice Colson Montgomery, a left-handed hitting high school shortstop from Southridge (Ind.) High School.
Selected with the 22nd pick, the 6-4, 190-pounder was the first high school player taken by the Sox in the first round since the 2012 draft, when outfielder Courtney Hawkins was picked 13th.
A three-sport star, Montgomery had designs on playing baseball and basketball at Indiana but instead signed for a $3.027 million bonus, which is full slot value for the 22nd pick.
“Coming to the stadium, signing that contract and putting on a White Sox jersey is a dream come true,” said Montgomery, who signed at Guaranteed Rate Field before the Sox played the Twins Tuesday night.
Montgomery, 19, spoke to reporters about an hour before he was slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Montgomery was an All-America Second Team selection by Baseball America and MaxPreps. He will attend a minicamp with other draftees before reporting to the Sox training complex in Glendale, Ariz.
“Baseball is my life right now,” Montgomery said. “I’m very excited to get after it and put all the work in for it.”
Montgomery is the first shortstop taken by the Sox since Tim Anderson in 2013. Twelve of the 26 players on the Sox’ active roster came through the farm system, including first-round picks Anderson, left-hander Carlos Rodon (‘14), catcher Zack Collins (‘16), third baseman Jake Burger (‘17), left fielder Andrew Vaughn (‘19) and left-hander Garrett Crochet (‘20). First baseman-outfielder Gavin Sheets was picked in the second round in 2016.
Montgomery’s parents and four siblings were in attendance Tuesday.
“My parents raised me right, being humble and everything that,” he said. “I’m not worried about the money or fame getting to my head because I know I have people bringing me down to reality.”
Power surge?
Yoan Moncada homered twice in his previous two games, giving him only his sixth and seventh of the season. He had gone 26 games without a long ball but had reached base safely in 22 of his last 23 games and in 69 of his last 73.
“I’ve been swinging at good pitches and that’s what happens when you swing at good pitches,” he said of the recent homers through translator Billy Russo.
“I spent a long time waiting for the first one to get out of there.”
Per Baseball Reference wins above replacement, Moncada and Anderson (2.8) are the Sox’ top two position players.
Moncada has batted second, third and fourth most of the season but manager Tony La Russa, wanting “RBI protection” and right-left-right sequencing through the lineup, had the switch-hitting Moncada in the No. 5 spot for the second time in three days.
“When you have a guy with that kind of versatility like Yoan, you use it whenever it’s necessary and make sure you communicate why,” La Russa said.
Good for Goodwin
Outfielder Brian Goodwin, signed as a minor league free agent after getting released by the Pirates in spring training, batted fourth for the 13th time. He had batted fourth as a starter in only two games before this season.
Goodwin, who was hitting .273/.333/.527 with three homers and nine RBI in his last 14 games, has impressed La Russa with the way he responded after he got cut.
“He’s just been outstanding for us,” La Russa said.
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