On the field, Braden Montgomery’s 23rd birthday was just another night at the office: three hits, two RBIs, on base four times. So why would it be anything different off of it?
For years, win or lose, the White Sox No. 1 prospect has made a habit of cleaning up the dugout after a game. So even after Birmingham picked up a 7-4 victory over Rocket City at Toyota Field on Thursday night, the 2024 first-round pick made sure he and his teammates didn't leave a mess behind.
"That's just who he is," said Braves infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr., who served as Montgomery’s teammate during last year’s Arizona Fall League. "He's one of the best dudes I've ever met. I mean, the baseball player, he's great. But at the end of the day, if you're not a good dude, it speaks volumes. You can tell his parents raised him the right way, and he just makes sure to do what he has to do every single day."
Even extracurricular good deeds aside, the MLB Develops alum gets paid to clean up the bases, which he’s done at an above-average rate to open 2026. Montgomery has driven in a run in five consecutive contests and his 12 RBIs stand tied for third in the Double-A Southern League through 12 games.
After an Opening Night homer, MLB’s No. 31 prospect hit a seven-day lull before getting back in gear. Of Montgomery's 14 hits this year, seven have gone for extra bases, leading to a .318/.421/.636 slash line.
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For a player who has already garnered so much attention since entering pro ball (rehab from a gruesome broken ankle, inclusion in the Garrett Crochet deal), it’s easy to forget that Montgomery is just now approaching a full season’s worth of at-bats and games. Despite that, MLB Pipeline still pegs his arrival on the South Side at some point in 2026.
That’s not hard to fathom when you take a look at his peers: Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle (MLB’s No. 2), who tore up the Fall League in a similar fashion to Montgomery before inking a $150 million contract extension less than a month into his time in The Show. Sam Antonacci (CWS No. 9) and Montgomery formed a formidable duo at the heart of Birmingham’s lineup last autumn, leading the club to its second consecutive league title. Antonacci ripped a base hit in his first MLB at-bat earlier this week.
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But don’t look for Montgomery, who impressed White Sox brass during Spring Training, to be looking that far down the road.
“Ever since I watched Derek Jeter play, I knew I wanted to be in the big leagues,” Montgomery told MLB.com in March. “Probably around 10 or 11 years old, I knew I wanted to be the best to play baseball.
“Obviously it’s not even day one of my big league career yet, but I take it day by day. If I can stack good days on good days, I’m sure the results at the end of it will be something I can live with.”