Until Montgomery arrives, Antioch grad DeJong holding down shortstop for White Sox
The White Sox can use an infusion of young talent, and there is some help on the way.
If third baseman Yoan Moncada can't stay healthy again this season, Bryan Ramos is waiting in the wings.
Two pitchers acquired from the Dodgers in the trade that sent Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to Los Angeles last July — Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure — should be up with the Sox at some point this season.
Nastrini is a promising starter and Leasure is a hard-throwing reliever with closer potential.
Edgar Quero, who came over from the Angels in the Lucas Giolito/Reynaldo Lopez trade, is the White Sox's starting catcher of the future.
Colson Montgomery is at the top of the prospect crop.
The Sox's first-round draft pick in 2021 out of Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Ind., Montgomery is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound shortstop. Baseball America ranks him No. 15 on their Top 100 list.
The 22-year-old Montgomery would probably have been pushing for a spot on the White Sox's 26-man roster this spring, but back and oblique injuries limited him to 64 games last year.
Montgomery finished the season at Class AA Birmingham and hit a combined .287/.456/.484 with 8 home runs and 37 RBI while also playing for high Class A Winston-Salem (17 games) and the ACL White Sox (10).
After the season, Montgomery got some additional work in the Arizona Fall League, where he slashed .244/.300/.415 with 3 homers and 20 RBI in 20 games.
In 8 Cactus League games with the Sox this spring, Montgomery is 1-for-13 with 2 RBI.
There's little doubt the prized prospect needs some time at Triple-A Charlotte, so there is no urgent push to get him to the major leagues.
“We're excited and we're very fortunate to have Colson,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “I know that there's an obsession with being on an Opening Day roster. I understand that, but really it's about the full season. If that means someone breaks in the second game of the season or midseason or in September, so be it. It's about you competing against the game more than anything. It's not necessarily competing for roster spots.”
In Monday's exhibition game against the Diamondbacks, a 5-2 win, the Sox played what is likely going to be their season-opening lineup. Paul DeJong started at shortstop and hit sixth.
In late November, the White Sox signed DeJong to a one-year, $1.75 million contract.
The 30-year-old DeJong attended Antioch Community High School and played college baseball at Illinois State.
Over seven seasons with the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Giants, he hit .229/.299/.417 with 116 home runs and 344 RBI while playing above average defense at shortstop.
“I really take pride in my defensive abilities,” DeJong said. “That’s something I worked on with (coach) Jose Oquendo in the Cardinals’ organization, being a fundamental player. I bring that steadiness, making the fundamental plays, helping our pitchers out, getting outs, making double plays, just trying to be a staple.”
Until Montgomery arrives, it'll be DeJong at shortstop backed up by Nicky Lopez, who also plays second base, and either Lenyn Sosa or Danny Mendick.