It was alarming when White Sox general manager Chris Getz said shortstop Colson Montgomery was going to Arizona in late April for one-on-one work with director of hitting Ryan Fuller.
Whenever the Sox’ next competitive window opens, Montgomery — their No. 3 prospect — is expected to be a big part of it. Back then, however, Montgomery seemed far away from reaching the majors, posting a .479 OPS in his first 103 at-bats at Triple-A Charlotte.
After a reset with Fuller, Montgomery returned to Charlotte and saw better results. From May 13 to July 2, he batted .270/.353/.574 for a .927 OPS, prompting a call-up to the majors for a Sox team devoid of power.
Since joining the Sox on July 4, Montgomery has looked comfortable on the field and at the plate. He has hit 10 homers while acclimating well at shortstop and third base.
‘‘He took advantage of that opportunity because he was falling short of expectations,’’ Sox manager Will Venable said. ‘‘Our expectations were high, and I think he thinks they’re high, as well. The experience that he gained down there and then coming back and performing at this level, it’s just special and a credit to him for utilizing that opportunity to make the most out of it.’’
Entering the Sox’ 9-6 victory Tuesday against the Tigers, Montgomery was batting .241/.311/.565 for an .876 OPS. His play — and a sluggish stretch from designated hitter Andrew Benintendi — warranted a move up in the lineup to third. Montgomery doesn’t have great bat-to-ball skills, but he has immense value if he continues to progress as a defender and showcases his plus power.
A lot of Montgomery’s damage has come against pitches that Statcast describes as in the ‘‘heart’’ of the strike zone. Nine of his homers have come from there, and he’s batting .375 on such pitches.
‘‘What I’m learning now, you have to try to stay as consistent as you can and as neutral as you can,’’ Montgomery said.
And while it’s impressive that Montgomery has flashed his power immediately, there’s still room for improvement, especially as teams adjust to him and try to take advantage of his propensity to chase (33.2%).
It’s a double-edged sword because the Sox want Montgomery to be aggressive, turning pitchers’ mistakes into extra-base hits. But he has to find a balance because the power won’t always be there. Entering Tuesday, he had only seven hits in 34 at-bats in August, five of which were homers. He had a .984 OPS because of that power, but that isn’t sustainable.
‘‘We know that he’s going to be mindful and open to different adjustments,’’ Venable said. ‘‘That’s what this game is all about — making adjustments. There’s going to be adversity ahead of him at some point, too. [The Sox have] full confidence that whatever this league throws at Colson, he’s going to be ready for it.’’
Montgomery’s transformation into a critical part of the Sox is a testament to his dedication and perseverance, two traits he’ll need in the majors to handle the lows that inevitably will come. He’s prepared to handle them in part because he already has experienced the nadir.
‘‘I’m not going to sit here and throw a little pity party about everything I went through,’’ Montgomery said. ‘‘Everything I went through, I needed to go through.’’