SURPRISE, Ariz. — Braden Montgomery may not be breaking camp with the Chicago White Sox, but he made sure the organization noticed his progress.
The club’s top prospect delivered an impressive performance during spring training, finishing with a .348/.348/.652 slash line while showing flashes of the tools that have made him one of the most exciting young players in the system.
Manager Will Venable was among those impressed with what they saw.
“I thought he had an outstanding camp,” Venable said. “We saw some of the defense, we saw the baserunning, and he did a nice job at the plate. He continues to progress. He’s a young kid who is figuring things out and looks like he belongs amongst the big leaguers on the field.”
A Strong Camp Despite Reassignment
Despite his strong showing, the White Sox reassigned Montgomery to minor league camp on Sunday. Catcher Josh Breaux was also sent down as the team continued trimming its roster.
The moves left Chicago with 48 players remaining in spring training: 24 pitchers, four catchers, 10 infielders, and 10 outfielders.
Montgomery’s reassignment was expected. The young outfielder has yet to play above Double-A, and general manager Chris Getz previously indicated it would be unlikely for him to make the Opening Day roster.
Still, the organization views the move as part of his development rather than a setback.
The White Sox have shown a pattern of promoting prospects after they gain experience at Triple-A, and Montgomery is expected to continue refining his game before receiving that opportunity.
Areas of Development Remain
Even with his strong offensive performance this spring, the coaching staff believes there are areas Montgomery can still improve.
One of the biggest focuses will be his left-handed swing, which currently lags behind his more advanced right-handed approach. Defensive development will also remain a priority as he continues to gain experience across the outfield.
Venable noted that Montgomery made noticeable progress during camp, particularly with his preparation in the field.
“He did a great job unlocking some pre-pitch movements that are going to help his first step,” Venable said. “We asked him to play a bunch of different spots out there and he handled them really well.”
More than anything, the team has been impressed with Montgomery’s mindset.
“He’s aware of what he needs to work on,” Venable added. “The great thing about him is he’s just so hungry to be great and he’s putting in all the right work.”
Injury Concern for Mike Vasil
While Montgomery’s development remains a positive storyline, the White Sox are also monitoring a potential injury to pitcher Mike Vasil.
The right-hander exited Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning after experiencing soreness in his right elbow. At the time, Vasil had thrown 3⅔ scoreless innings while striking out three.
Vasil said he noticed discomfort during the outing and chose to alert the coaching staff rather than risk further injury.
“Any time with an elbow you want to be precautionary, especially this time of year,” Vasil said. “If something doesn’t feel right, you’ve got to speak up.”
The pitcher said his elbow became progressively worse during the inning, prompting the team to remove him from the game. Additional tests and scans are still being reviewed to determine the severity of the issue.
Before the injury, Vasil had been competing for one of the final rotation spots after posting a strong 2.50 ERA across 101 innings last season.
Other Notes from Sunday
In Sunday’s spring game against the Kansas City Royals, pitching prospect Hagen Smith continued to show why he is considered one of the organization’s most promising arms.
The left-hander delivered two scoreless innings, striking out five batters while allowing just one walk.
Offensively, third baseman Miguel Vargas reached base four times, going 2-for-2 with two walks. Catcher Edgar Quero also contributed, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The White Sox will next face the Texas Rangers on Monday night in Surprise, Arizona, with Sean Burke scheduled to start against MacKenzie Gore.
As spring training enters its final stretch, Chicago continues balancing roster decisions with the development of its next generation of talent.
And while Braden Montgomery won’t begin the season in the majors, his performance this spring made it clear he may not be far away.
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