Over the years, Chicago White Sox fans have had some fun shortstops to root for. While Alexei Ramirez wasn’t a household name, he is a legend in the city.
After Ramirez, Tim Anderson was the next fan-favorite infielder for the South Siders. He had an impressive run, winning the AL batting title in 2019 and going on to be a two-time All-Star.
Now, it’s time for a new name to take over in Chicago, and that would be Colson Montgomery. He is coming off a rather impressive rookie season where he blasted 21 home runs in just 71 games, the most by any primary shortstop in MLB in their first 71 career games.
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Colson Montgomery is ready to turn his historic rookie stretch into a surge
Colson Montgomery gave fans a reason to watch the team last year, and with what the club has done over the offseason, the fanbase is starting to get excited.
Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami could be a formidable one-two punch in the lineup if he can adjust to the game overseas.
Fans will just have to wait and see how Murakami looks, but they should expect big things from Montgomery in 2026. The crew over at MLB.com believes the same, tagging him as the White Sox’s projected best player.
“Montgomery absolutely mashed after his call-up to the Majors on July 4, socking 21 home runs in just 71 games for Chicago down the stretch. He also flashed an impressive glove, totaling +6 Outs Above Average at shortstop in his half-season stint. All told, he racked up a 2.7 WAR as a rookie and is projected to be in a similar total in 2026, which would be tops on a young squad that also features hitters Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas and Kyle Teel — each projected for 2.1 WAR — and Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami (2.2).”
Montgomery should lead this group of young hitters, with Murakami projected to be the club’s second-best.
All in all, fans should be happy if Montgomery can live up to these projections. It would solidify what the club has been doing with its farm system.
