CHICAGO – Outfielder Braden Montgomery, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 32 overall, was placed on the 7-day injured list Monday by Double-A Birmingham with a small fracture in his right foot.
The injury took place when Montgomery was hit by a pitch from Chattanooga's Julian Garcia in his first plate appearance during the second inning of Saturday’s game. Montgomery stayed in the contest and was caught stealing second in that same frame; he was eventually pinch-hit for by Jacob Burke in the top of the fourth.
Montgomery is likely to miss the rest of the regular season and the Barons’ Southern League postseason, per the White Sox. But the switch-hitter is expected to participate in the Arizona Fall League when healed.
It’s been a banner first Minor League season for the 22-year-old Montgomery, who has moved from Single-A Kannapolis to High-A Winston-Salem to Double-A Birmingham. Montgomery has a slash line of .270/.360/.444 with 12 home runs, 34 doubles, 14 stolen bases, 68 RBIs and 64 runs scored over 121 total games.
“It’s been awesome,” said Montgomery during a Zoom call last week after he was selected White Sox Position Player of the Month for August. “I didn’t really set any expectations coming into it because I knew it was going to be a completely new feel for me, a new everything, new system and whatnot.
“I came into it with an open mind, and it’s been really cool. I’ve been enjoying it.”
Noah Schultz, the No. 2 White Sox prospect and No. 37 overall, per Pipeline, is no longer expected to take part in the upcoming AFL after he was originally slated to join Glendale. The official roster news will come in the next two days, but the White Sox are being careful with the southpaw hurler who is currently on a second Minor League injured list stint due to patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
Jarold Rosado, a right-handed reliever who has a 4.45 ERA over 28 games pitched for Winston-Salem and Birmingham this season, is expected to replace Schultz. He’ll join fellow White Sox players such as Montgomery, southpaw Hagen Smith (No. 5 White Sox prospect, No. 88 overall), and infielder Sam Antonacci (No. 11 White Sox) in Arizona.