White Sox Minor League Update: April 29, 2025

Colson Montgomery is en route to Arizona for a desert swing tune-up while Knights, Dash, and Ballers all earn Ws

The big league club is back at home, and that meant it was Chris Getz Media Day for all those who celebrate. There was much of the usual GM-speak, and then, this …

For fans who have been prospect-watching, trying to stay hopeful about a better future, Colson Montgomery was a guy we’ve been counting on developing into an offensive star for some time now. The White Sox selected Montgomery in Round 1 (No. 22) of the 2021 draft right out of high school. He quickly took the organization’s lower levels (ACL, Single-A, High-A) by storm, but once he arrived in Birmingham, both in 2022 and 2023, his offensive woes began. Here’s a quick look at his numbers across the minors:

You can see the steep drop-off at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. The left-handed hitter, who was once the top prospect in the system, is now No. 4 behind Noah Schultz (LHP), Kyle Teel (C), and Hagen Smith (LHP). According to Getz, Montgomery will spend 1-to-2 weeks down at Chicago’s spring training complex working one-on-one with the director of hitting, Ryan Fuller.

The GM also spoke about Charlotte Knights’ first baseman, Tim Elko. He did not at all address when or if the White Sox might promote the Ole Miss legend; he just sang all his praises. Whatever, Chris.

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Charlotte Knights 6, Norfolk Tides 1 (Statcast box)
After a scoreless first, the Knights’ (13-15) bats woke up in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third and no outs, Kyle Teel delivered a two-run single to break the deadlock.

The rally continued as Corey Julks and Dominic Fletcher each chipped in with an RBI, giving Charlotte a comfortable 4-0 lead.

The Knights added two more runs in the next frame. Bryan Ramos and Julks smacked back-to-back doubles, extending Charlotte’s advantage to 6-0. That proved to be all the offense the Knights would need on this night.

Charlotte’s starter, Owen White, making his fifth appearance since being claimed off waivers from the Yankees in February, pitched effectively. The former Texas Rangers second-round pick went four innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out three and walking three. The Knights’ bullpen then took over and shut down the Tides’ offense, surrendering only one hit across the final five innings.

Tim Elko watch: “The Captain” didn’t add to his home run tally but still contributed with two singles.

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Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3, Birmingham Barons 2
The White Sox’s No. 1 prospect, Hagen Smith, turned in a peculiar performance tonight. While he only allowed a single hit over his four innings of work, he really battled with his command. The southpaw surrendered his first run in the fourth after issuing three free passes and hitting a batter. Then he walked back-to-back hitters in the fifth before being replaced by Zach Franklin, who walked the next batter to load the bases. A sacrifice fly pushed the second run charged to Smith across the plate. Despite his struggles, the lefty did showcase his strikeout stuff, fanning seven Blue Wahoos hitters. Pensacola manufactured their third and decisive run in the top of the ninth inning against Barons’ righthander Tyler Davis.

Birmingham’s (11-10) offense finally came to life in the bottom of the seventh after managing only two hits in the previous six frames. They tied the game at two apiece when Rikuu Nishida led off the inning with a single, and William Bergolla followed up by driving him in with a double. After a ground out by Mario Camilletti, Wilfred Veras brought Bergolla home with a single. Unfortunately for the Barons, the rally ended there with two consecutive groundouts, and they were unable to muster any further offense.

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Winston-Salem Dash 5, Greensboro Grasshoppers 0
The Winston-Salem Dash (8-14) shut out the Greensboro Grasshoppers in a contest where timely hitting and dominant pitching proved to be the winning formula.

For five innings, the game remained a scoreless affair. Then, in the top of the sixth, the Dash offense erupted, putting up a four-spot. Alec Makarewicz delivered a clutch double with two outs in the frame, driving in two to break the stalemate. The momentum continued as Wes Kath launched a towering two-run oppo taco, giving Winston-Salem a 4-0 advantage.

The Dash tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, courtesy of an RBI single from newly promoted Braden Montgomery, extending their lead to the eventual final score of 5-0.

On the mound, Lucas Gordon was stellar for the Dash, earning the win with five strong innings of scoreless ball. He allowed just one hit with six Ks and three walks. This marks Gordon’s second consecutive outing without surrendering a run. Phil Fox followed with two clean innings, including striking out four Grasshoppers. Mark McLaughlin then locked it down, tossing two scoreless frames to secure the shutout.

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Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4, Augusta GreenJackets 3
It was a thriller tonight in Kannapolis as the Ballers walked it off in the bottom of the ninth, upping their season record to 12-10.

Kanny jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Calvin Harris got things started with a single, and Miguel Santos followed up with a one-out double, bringing Harris around to score.

However, the GreenJackets quickly responded in the top of the fourth, walloping Kannapolis starter Ricardo Brizuela. A double, two triples, a throwing error, and a wild pitch allowed Augusta to plate three runs and take a 3-1 advantage.

The Cannon Ballers chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Abraham Núñez launched a solo bomb, narrowing the gap to 3-2, GreenJackets.

And that’s how the score remained until the bottom of the ninth inning. Down to their final three outs and needing a run to tie and two to win, the Cannon Ballers dug deep. Javier Mogollón led off the frame with a single, and a wild pitch allowed him to advance to second. After a ground out by Nathan Archer, Lyle Miller-Green delivered a clutch single to center, driving in Mogollón and tying the game at three apiece. Harris, who started the scoring in the first, stepped up to the plate and hammered a double to right, bringing home pinch-runner Ryan Burrowes and securing a 4-3 walk-off victory.