When Braden Montgomery was sent to Double-A to begin the 2026 season, some fans were surprised.
The No. 1 prospect in the White Sox system, per MLB Pipeline, Montgomery felt like he made a strong case for a trip to Charlotte during spring training play. Over his 13 games, the bat looked as good as advertised with a slash line of 348/.348/.652. He managed eight hits with three RBIs and even a pair of triples. The big-play potential was tantalizing.
Nevertheless, GM Chris Getz made the youngster work for it. Montgomery has been back in Double-A ball for the first few weeks of the season, and what was a somewhat pedestrian start has quickly turned into anything but.
Braden Montgomery Makes Case for Promotion
Mar 1, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Braden Montgomery (91) celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Braden Montgomery was named Southern League Player of the Week on Monday after one of the best stretches in the minors this season. The White Sox’ outfielder suited up for six games over these last seven days, which included a double-header on Sunday afternoon.
During this stretch, Montgomery put together five multi-hit performances for 12 total hits and seven RBIs. He also recorded eight extra-base hits, which featured his fourth home run of the season. The Birmingham Barons may have only gone a modest 3-3 in these performances, but the damage could have been worse without Montgomery’s dominance at the plate.
Speaking of which, the Player of the Week stretch has only vaulted him further up the Southern League standings. Among players who have suited up in at least 15 games thus far, Montgomery’s 1.211 OPS is the highest. His 19 hits are also the second-most, while his four homers are tied for third. Two of those bombs even came in the same game last week.
Braden Montgomery two-homer game!@whitesox | @BhamBarons | @MLBDevelops pic.twitter.com/EFzqY6gnZG
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 12, 2026
For what it’s worth, Montgomery’s strikeout rate hasn’t necessarily improved this season. There is still a boom-or-bust element to his game that the Sox will have to work on as he inches closer to the majors. With that said, this is the exact kind of run that demonstrates exactly why many consider him to be the best youngster in their system. He has a special swing and a natural feel for coming up in big moments.
Indeed, it sure feels like a promotion is on the horizon. As packed as the Sox’ Triple-A roster may be, they have room for Montgomery to take over an everyday role in the outfield. We’ve also started to see the big league squad begin to call up a few of their top contributors, with Sam Antonacci being the most recent to hear his name called.
The Sox’ offense may have found a better rhythm in their recent series against the Athletics, but this is still a group that has ranked right near the bottom of the league at the plate all season long. While calling Montgomery up this second likely isn’t going to be the answer, they have little reason not to begin his fast track toward the majors.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow