The selection follows a string of successes in which the Red Sox selected Kyle Teel (14th overall) and Kristian Campbell (132nd overall) in 2023, Roman Anthony (79th overall) in 2022, and Marcelo Mayer (4th overall) in 2021. Despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury during the Aggies’ postseason run, Montgomery was projected to be drafted in the Top 10 by MLB.com, Baseball America, The Athletic, ESPN, and Fangraphs. He slid to the Red Sox at 12.

What to Like:
Montgomery started his college career at Stanford, playing two full seasons before transferring to Texas A&M in his junior year. He discovered his plus-plus power there, belting 27 home runs and driving in 85 runs in 61 games. That power was on display against Georgia in April when Montgomery blasted a mammoth grand slam to dead center. His final stat line in his final season was .322/.454/.733/1.187.

Montgomery primarily played right field throughout college. That is projected to be the case in his first taste of professional ball. Once a two-way player who threw 97 MPH from the mound, MLB Pipeline has a 70 grade on Montgomery’s arm.

What to Work On:
Projected as a switch-hitting power bat, there are concerns about his viability from the right side of the plate, given his platoon split, according to SoxProspects. 

MLB Pipeline’s scouting profile states that although Montgomery has improved his plate discipline and ability to handle breaking pitches, “he still swings and misses at pitches in the zone a bit too often and will chase non-fastballs.”

What's Next?
In August, Montgomery was assigned to the FCL to continue his rehab. He is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 season, where he projects to begin in High-A Greenville. He has yet to take an at-bat in his minor league journey, but his potential is indisputable. He’s current #61 on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list, joining “The Big 4” and 18-year-old Salem infielder Franklin Arias as the Red Sox prospects gracing the list.

Along with an impressive scouting report, Montgomery was humble in his post-draft interview in July when asked what he’s learned in his journey to get to this point. 

Quote

“I’ve just kind of learned how to be the person I want to be and how I want to treat people, because that’s ultimately the way people remember you. They’re not going to remember how many homers I hit or how many times I strike out.”