White Sox's Colson Montgomery kicks off MLB career with unthinkable grab vs. Rockies

Desperate for a shot in the arm during another brutal season, the Chicago White Sox called up Colson Montgomery, hoping the prospect could bring energy to the team. And Montgomery delivered, hyping up his teammates with a sensational defensive play in his big league debut.

With two on and two out in the bottom of the second inning, Ryan Ritter fought off an Adrian Houser sinker that appeared destined to drop in for a run-scoring single. But Montgomery chased the broken-bat flare down, making a remarkable, diving over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field.

Montgomery is the White Sox’s fifth-overall prospect and the top-ranked infielder in Chicago’s farm system, per MLB.com. He began turning heads back in 2023 when the White Sox invited the shortstop to spring training following a strong showing across three levels in the minors the previous season.

White Sox prospect Colson Montgomery stands out in MLB debut

White Sox's Colson Montgomery kicks off MLB career with unthinkable grab vs. Rockies — Chet Strange-Imagn Images

The 23-year-old lefty was first promoted to Triple-A in 2024. He returned to Charlotte this season, producing a .733 OPS with 11 home runs, 30 RBI and 27 runs scored in 55 games.

That performance, along with his standout defense, convinced the White Sox to promote Montgomery before the All-Star break. And the team judiciously timed the rookie’s call up, allowing him to avoid the Los Angeles Dodgers and debut against the Colorado Rockies.

While no single player is capable of turning the White Sox around, as the team is on pace for its third straight 100-loss season, the organization feels it has something special in Montgomery. And he rewarded Chicago’s confidence with a highlight-reel play in his first major league game.

Although Montgomery’s web gem came early in the contest, the run-saving defensive effort proved vital in a close game. The White Sox hung on to beat the Rockies 3-2.

Chicago is now 29-59 on the season and 25.5 games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. The White Sox endured a historically bad season in 2024, losing an MLB-record 121 games. But while the New York Mets’ record of 120 losses stood for 62 years before Chicago broke it, the White Sox’s new standard for futility could be surpassed after one season.

The Rockies stand a good chance of rewriting history in 2025 after getting off to the worst 50-game start in 130 years. Although the team has shown signs of improvement after a truly dreadful stretch, Colorado is still on pace for 125 losses, which would shatter the White Sox’s 121-loss record.