White Sox sign first-round draft pick Colson Montgomery

Colson Montgomery admitted to feeling some nerves before throwing the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

It showed, as the White Sox's first-round draft pick's pitch to mascot Southpaw was a wee bit low.

The Sox didn't take Montgomery at No. 22 overall to get hitters out. They drafted the Indiana high school star to get hits and play shortstop.

Montgomery is ready to live up to his potential. Before the Sox played the Twins, he signed a minor-league contract that comes with a $3.027-million signing bonus.

"I mean, it was very exciting, just a whirlwind of everything," Montgomery said. "It's just a dream come true for any type of ballplayer, coming to the stadium and everything and then sitting down in the rooms and signing that contract and putting on the White Sox jersey. It's a dream come true."

The dream really starts when Montgomery heads to a minicamp in Alabama before playing with the Rookie AZL White Sox.

"I'm just looking forward to going down to Alabama, meeting all the other guys with the White Sox organization and also with the other guys who their dream is to play professional baseball and get up to the big leagues," Montgomery said. "Hear everybody's stories with everything and just getting after it. Now, this is my life. Baseball is my life right now and I'm very excited to get after it and put all the work in for it."

Montgomery, 19, batted .338 with 7 home runs and 23 RBI in 27 games during his senior season at Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Ind., where he helped guide the Raiders to the Class 3A state championship.

"I think my next step is getting bigger, stronger, faster," the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder said. "With my frame, too, and staying athletic and wanting and knowing I can stay at shortstop, I'm going to have to put a lot of work in with my footwork and all that stuff. Just want to develop to be the best."