CHICAGO -- Colson Montgomery turns 20 on Sunday, an age when many young adults are just getting acclimated to college life.

But the No. 1-ranked White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is instead embarking on his first full Minor League season, beginning with the organization’s minicamp taking place at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.

“Yeah, especially not worried about homework with all these college guys and what they say about everything,” said a smiling Montgomery during a Wednesday Zoom. “It's not really overwhelming, especially with how young I am and with what everybody tells me about how it's just a process.

“There's going to be ups and downs with a lot of things, but you're young, you've got a lot of time. You can learn a lot, especially with being so young and being around all these older players.”

The White Sox selected Montgomery with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft. The shortstop out of Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Ind., received a slot value of $3,027,000 as a signing bonus. He threw out the first pitch at a White Sox game against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 20, before posting a slash line of .287/.396/.362 with seven RBIs and seven doubles over 94 at-bats and 26 games with the organization’s Rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate.

Montgomery's short career already has produced a small viral social media moment. The left-handed hitter was taking swings in the batting cage during a hitters’ minicamp at Camelback Ranch on Jan. 11, when White Sox manager Tony La Russa walked into the brief video with a smile of approval.

Montgomery admitted to being surprised upon seeing La Russa’s reaction. The White Sox are not in any way stunned by the overall talent shown from the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder, who was both a basketball and baseball standout in high school.

“He stays through the baseball. He’s under control in the box, which is not surprising just based on his temperament in general,” said White Sox assistant general manager/player development Chris Getz of Montgomery. “Colson has got a sweet swing. He uses the whole field and then on the defensive side, he’s a bigger guy.

“You don’t see too many guys with his size at the shortstop position nowadays, but there are examples. There are guys historically -- and we believe based on his foot speed and his ability to see the field and the strong arm that he has, that he’s going to be able to be a shortstop in this game for a long time.”

Defensive work became one of the many focuses for Montgomery during his offseason time in Nashville, Tenn., where his agency has a facility. Montgomery worked with players such as Brent Rooker, Will Craig and Justin Foscue, who already have some level of Major League experience, and built good relationships while picking their brains on a number of things.

“We worked on everything, hitting, fielding, throwing, a lot of those things,” Montgomery said. “I'm really looking forward to the full season, the more Minor League game-like situations and stuff. Just going to keep a positive mindset with it all and stay consistent throughout the whole year and limit my ups and downs.”

Montgomery, along with around 60 other White Sox players at minicamp, will now be picking the brains of Minor League and Major League coaches alike. And Montgomery hopes to build on the confidence gained from his abbreviated ’21 debut.

“I’m really pleased with how I performed out there, so I feel like my confidence is kind of the same where it is,” Montgomery said. “Also being out here with all these talented guys, I feel like I’m talented, just as talented as some of these other guys out here.

“It’s been a whirlwind, especially from just being out of high school, state finals game and then getting drafted and then out to Birmingham for a little minicamp and then right into rookie ball. All kind of quick, but [I] kind of took it in stride, had a lot of guys here helping me through everything.

“Everybody’s good. Everybody’s here for a reason,” Montgomery added. “That kind of jumped out at me and it really showed me how hard you’ve still got to work.”