Can Colson Montgomery Replicate His Breakout Season In 2026?
Colson Montgomery delivered a breakout rookie season in 2025, quickly becoming one of Chicago sports most compelling comeback stories. Now the question remains, will that be sustainable moving forward?
Montgomery ranked second on the White Sox with 21 home runs despite appearing in just 71 games and finished fourth on the team with 55 RBIs. While he had shown power in the minor leagues, his early-season surge came as a surprise given his high strikeout rate at the Triple-A level.
In 2024, Montgomery hit 18 home runs in 130 games for Triple-A Charlotte but struck out in nearly 29% of his plate appearances. After a slow start to the 2025 season, the White Sox sent him to Arizona midseason to work on his swing.
That move paid off, with Montgomery making an immediate impact after his MLB debut on July 4. By August 11, Montgomery had hit his 10th home run in just his 32nd career game, the third-fastest pace to reach double-digit homers in White Sox history, behind only Zeke Bonura in 1934 (25 games) and Jose Abreu in 2014 (26 games).
The 23-year-old shortstop also became the youngest player in franchise history with at least 10 home runs in an 18-game span. It was a special season for Montgomery, who finished fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.
Pitchers are bound to adjust to Montgomery, who still owns a high 29% strikeout rate and modest 8.8% walk rate.
Montgomery has never been one to hit for a high average and has a tendency to chase pitches out of the zone. But he punished strikes when pitchers challenged him. Much of his production came on pulled balls in the air, and his 27.2% pull rate on airborne contact ranked among the highest in baseball. As pitchers adjust, Montgomery could see fewer hittable pitches in the strike zone next season.
While his plate discipline still needs refinement, there was a clear reason Montgomery punished mistakes. His bat speed was elite. At 77 mph, he posted one of the fastest swing speeds in Major League Baseball. He also recorded a high barrel rate, allowing him to maximize the damage when he made contact.
Projections for 2026 suggest a modest step back in power, with Montgomery expected to hit 19 home runs and drive in 56 runs. At the same time, he is projected to improve his plate discipline, striking out just 85 times while posting a .252/.325/.487 slash line.
While those numbers are less eye-catching than his 2025 power surge, they still represent strong production. The projections point to a higher batting average and an OPS over .800. Combined with the defense he showed at shortstop last season, that output would make Montgomery an impactful player.
Either way, Montgomery’s 2026 season figures to be a revealing one. Will he maintain his power at the expense of strikeouts, or will improved plate discipline come with some regression in home runs? Opening Day can’t come soon enough.