White Sox again searching for fixes as shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery struggles at Triple-A

So much for Colson Montgomery’s turnaround.

The White Sox’ highly rated shortstop prospect is back to the kinds of offensive struggles that have defined his time at Triple-A Charlotte.

After a sojourn to Arizona to work with Sox hitting director Ryan Fuller, Montgomery ripped off a 10-game stretch in which he hit .341 with a .413 on-base percentage and a couple of home runs. But the numbers nosedived again, and he has hit only .135 with an on-base percentage lower than .250 in 15 games since.

It’s more of the same from Montgomery, a 2021 first-round pick who has failed to find consistent success since arriving at the Triple-A level before last season. He struggled throughout 2024, except for an improved September, and things have gotten even worse in 2025: He’s hitting .187.

The Sox’ ongoing rebuilding effort doesn’t entirely hinge on Montgomery panning out, but he long has been seen as a massive part of the team’s future and started last season ranked as one of the
top 10 prospects in baseball.

Now it’s a question whether Montgomery, 23, truly can become a franchise cornerstone. In an effort to make that happen, the Sox must find another fix for him.

‘‘More than anything, we just want him to get as consistent as possible,’’ general manager Chris Getz said Monday. ‘‘We have seen some signs, and then there’s a stretch here or there [where], perhaps, he’s kind of getting exposed at times. It’s about closing the holes, making the adjustments and continuing to stay confident.

‘‘[We] just want him to maintain a routine. He understands what he needs to do from a mechanics standpoint. This game can be very challenging, and you can fall into these traps along the way. He’s still growing as a player and a person. It’s just a matter of being as consistent as possible on a daily basis with his routines and then the approach at the plate.’’

Noah’s arc

Another former first-round pick and highly rated prospect struggled in his first taste of Triple-A. Left-hander Noah Schultz allowed six runs in his first start after being promoted to Charlotte.

Getz, however, didn’t see the outing as all bad.

‘‘We felt like he was ready to pitch at Charlotte,’’ Getz said. ‘‘[He] gave up some runs, but you look at the strikeout-to-walk ratio and the type of contact that was hit, it was a quality outing. We felt he was ready for the next challenge.’’

Though Montgomery, given his experience at Triple-A, figured to be a safe bet to arrive at the major-league level this season, the 21-year-old Schultz seems to be a more curious case.

‘‘We’re open to it,’’ Getz said. ‘‘He’ll let us know based on his performance and his strength throughout the remainder of the season. Obviously, he’s such an important piece for the future here.

‘‘I do think there is value in having young players come up here and get acclimated to the major-league level. But first and foremost, we want him to get comfortable at Triple-A.’’

Sox socked

The Sox were crushed Monday, opening their series against the Diamondbacks with a 10-0 loss.

Right-hander Shane Smith, who seems the obvious choice to represent the Sox in the All-Star Game, saw his ERA rise from 2.85 to 3.38 after giving up five runs in two innings.

Infielder Vinny Capra made his third pitching appearance of the season, allowing two unearned runs in the ninth.