Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Montgomery could get drafted as either a hitter or a pitcher, with most teams valuing his bat more but some thinking he's better and has more untapped potential on the mound. He's also the rare Stanford commit from the Deep South, so his signability could be tricky. Gatorade's Mississippi high school player of the year, he won MVP honors in the state's 6-A playoffs after striking out 15 in the semifinals and leading Madison Central to the title.

Montgomery is reminiscent of Robert Hassell, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 Draft, as a hit-over-power outfielder who could wind up on a corner and is also a legitimate prospect as a pitcher. A switch-hitter, he has a better right-handed stroke but has a quick swing and repeatedly barrels balls from both sides of the plate -- though he has swung and missed a bit more than expected this spring. He has a mature approach, controlling the strike zone while looking to drive the ball from gap to gap, and his combination of hitting ability, strength and bat speed should create at least average power. 

While Montgomery flashes some solid run times, he's more of an average runner and likely will land in right field rather than sticking in center. His plus arm will fit anywhere in the outfield and is also capable of reaching 96 mph on the mound. He usually operates at 92-93, shows some feel for spinning a curveball and utilizing a changeup, and could develop three solid offerings with control to match if he focused on pitching. 

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60

Teams were split on whether Montgomery had a brighter future as a hitter or pitcher when he was a Mississippi high schooler in 2021, but that decision was put on hold when he went undrafted because of his Stanford commitment. After he hit 35 homers and battled the strike zone in two years with the Cardinal, it's now obvious that he'll be an outfielder when he turns pro. He launched 27 homers this spring after transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season and will become the highest-drafted position player in Aggies history, surpassing Tyler Naquin (No. 15 overall in 2012), despite breaking his right ankle in the Super Regionals.

Montgomery had more of a hit-over-power profile in high school but that has reversed in college. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick, aggressive stroke from both sides of the plate, he does more damage as a lefty hitter and his plus power plays to all parts of the ballpark. He has improved his plate discipline and his ability to handle breaking balls during the last two seasons, but he still swings and misses at pitches in the zone a bit too often and will chase non-fastballs.

With average speed and plus-plus arm strength, Montgomery fits best in right field. As a pitcher, he can reach 96 mph with his fastball and miss some bats with his low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. His lack of control and command limit his effectiveness, however, and he has a much higher ceiling and floor as an outfielder.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

Though Montgomery was one of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 Draft as a Mississippi high schooler, he went undrafted because of his commitment to Stanford. He hit 35 homers in two years with the Cardinal, then slammed 27 more last spring at Texas A&M before breaking his right ankle on a bad slide during the NCAA Super Regionals. The highest-drafted position player in Aggies history, he signed for $5 million as the 12th overall pick by the Red Sox, who sent him to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade at the Winter Meetings in December 2024.

More of a hit-over-power guy in high school, Montgomery has reversed that profile and now stands out with plus pop that plays from foul pole to foul pole. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick stroke from both sides of the plate, he's so much more effective as a lefty (.355/.465/.819, 17 percent strikeout rate at A&M) that some scouts think he should give up hitting as a righty (.227/.395/.485, 29 percent K rate). While he did improve his approach and ability to deal with breaking balls while in college, he still chases pitches and can struggle against non-fastballs.

An average runner, Montgomery doesn't make much happen on the bases but covers ground in right field, where he's an easy fit with his plus-plus arm strength. He's capable of running his fastball to 96 mph and also showed the ability to miss bats with a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup while pitching sporadically in college, but his lack of control and command limited his effectiveness on the mound. Both his ceiling and floor are much higher as a slugging outfielder.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

One of the best two-way prospects in the 2021 Draft as a Mississippi high schooler, Montgomery went unselected because of his Stanford commitment. He hit 35 homers in two years with the Cardinal while establishing that he had a brighter future as a hitter, then launched 27 homers this spring after transferring to Texas A&M. Despite breaking his right ankle on an awkward slide in the NCAA super regionals, he still became the highest-drafted position player in Aggies history, going 12th overall to the Red Sox and signing for $5 million. He'll make his pro debut with the White Sox after switching organizations in the Garrett Crochet trade at the Winter Meetings in December.

Montgomery had more of a hit-over-power profile in high school but that has reversed, as he now has plus pop that plays to all parts of the ballpark. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick, aggressive stroke from both sides of the plate, he makes much more contact and does much more damage as a lefty. He has improved his plate discipline and his ability to handle breaking balls during the last two seasons, but he still swings and misses at pitches in the zone a bit too often and will chase non-fastballs.

With average speed and plus-plus arm strength, Montgomery fits best in right field. As a pitcher, he reached 96 mph with his fastball and missed some bats with his low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. His lack of control and command limited his effectiveness, however, and he has a much higher ceiling and floor as an outfielder.

Awards

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2025

SAL Player of the Week

Week	Team
05/11/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/08/2025	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to American League Fall Stars.
	09/26/2025	Birmingham Barons activated OF Braden Montgomery from the 7-day injured list.
	09/10/2025	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to Glendale Desert Dogs.
	09/08/2025	Birmingham Barons placed OF Braden Montgomery on the 7-day injured list.
	07/29/2025	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to Birmingham Barons from Winston-Salem Dash.
	07/29/2025	Birmingham Barons activated OF Braden Montgomery.
	07/14/2025	Winston-Salem Dash activated OF Braden Montgomery.
	07/11/2025	Winston-Salem Dash placed OF Braden Montgomery on the temporarily inactive list.
	07/11/2025	American League Futures activated OF Braden Montgomery.
	04/29/2025	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to Winston-Salem Dash from Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
	04/04/2025	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to Kannapolis Cannon Ballers from ACL White Sox.
	03/06/2025	activated OF Braden Montgomery.
	01/24/2025	Chicago White Sox invited non-roster OF Braden Montgomery to spring training.
	12/11/2024	Chicago White Sox traded LHP Garrett Crochet to Boston Red Sox for C Kyle Teel, OF Braden Montgomery, 3B Chase Meidroth and RHP Wikelman Gonzalez.
	12/11/2024	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to ACL White Sox.
	08/05/2024	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to FCL Red Sox.
	07/29/2024	Boston Red Sox signed OF Braden Montgomery.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated OF Braden Montgomery.
	02/20/2024	RHP Braden Montgomery assigned to Texas A&M Aggies.
	06/29/2023	College Workout activated RHP Braden Montgomery.
	06/26/2023	RHP Braden Montgomery assigned to USAB Stars Team.
	06/09/2023	Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox activated RHP Braden Montgomery.
	07/02/2022	USAB Stripes Team activated RHP Braden Montgomery.
	07/02/2022	RHP Braden Montgomery assigned to USAB Stripes Team.
	07/01/2022	RHP Braden Montgomery and assigned to College Workout.
	06/18/2020	OF Braden Montgomery assigned to PG National 10 - Red.
	06/18/2020	RHP Braden Montgomery assigned to PG National 10 - Red.