Boston Red Sox draft outfielder Braden Montgomery: "They're getting a winner"
BOSTON -- The Red Sox drafted Texas A&M outfielder Braden Montgomery on Sunday night, adding some more talent to a pretty loaded Boston farm system.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Montgomery was the No. 8 prospect heading into this year's draft, but fell to the Red Sox with the 12th overall pick due to a broken ankle he suffered late last season. A switch-hitter at the plate, Montgomery played mostly right field for the Aggies, but he is seen as a versatile defender who can play all over the outfield at the professional level.
Montgomery was born in Iowa but grew up in Mississippi, where he was named Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year his senior season in high school. He played two years of college ball at Stanford before transferring to Texas A&M for the 2024 season.
The 21-year-old is touted as having a powerful bat and a strong arm, and is excited to get his crack at the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox.
"It was joy," Montgomery said of being drafted Sunday night. "To be picked by anybody today means a lot to me and my family. For it to be the Red Sox means a whole lot, so I'm excited to get to work."
Montgomery put up some solid numbers in college
As a junior for Texas A&M last season, Montgomery launched 27 homers to go with 14 doubles and a triple, giving him a .733 slugging percentage and 1.187 OPS over 61 games.
Over his three years in college ball, Montgomery logged 62 homers, 44 doubles, and four triples over 187 games. He hit .317 with a .428 on-base percentage, a .646 slugging percentage, and a 1.073 OPS over his college career.
Montgomery also saw his strikeout percentage drop across all three of his college seasons (from 26.6 percentage as a freshman to 20.0 percent as a junior) while his walk rate increased each year.
Montgomery was a pitcher and an outfielder at Stanford
Montgomery attempted to pitch and play the outfield for the Cardinals, though he didn't have nearly as much success on the mound as he did at the plate. Though he struck out 47 over 32.2 innings as a reliever, Montgomery issued 32 walks and had an 8.54 ERA.
He did pitch in two games for the Aggies last season, though his pitching days are likely over. But his work on the mound has helped his arm in the outfield, as pointed out by Baseball America.
"His greatest tool is a borderline 80-grade throwing arm which affords him a prototypical right field profile and has manifested on the mound with a fastball that has been up to 97-98 mph," Baseball America wrote of Montgomery.
Montgomery played in the Cape Cod Baseball League
Montgomery played two summers in the Cape Cod League, where he slashed .292/.379.487 with five home runs, five doubles and one triple over 32 games for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.
Montgomery is recovering from a broken ankle
Montgomery's slide on Sunday may be explained by a broken ankle that he suffered during the Super Regionals. The injury kept him out of the Aggies' run to the College World Series, where they lost to Tennessee.
Montgomery is still recovering, as we saw Sunday when he was riding around the draft on a knee scooter. But he doesn't believe the injury will have any impact on his future.
"I'm feeling great," Montgomery said Sunday night. "I'm honestly a little bit ahead of schedule in terms of bone growth. They've seen some bone growth where that break was. There's no pain. Everything is just normal in there."
It was mentioned during the draft broadcast that the Oakland Athletics were considering Montgomery with the 4th overall pick had he not suffered the injury.
Montgomery says Red Sox are getting a "winner"
During his Sunday evening Zoom call with Boston reporters, Montgomery said the Red Sox are getting a passionate player who cares about just one thing: Winning.
"They're getting a winner that impacts everyone around them," he said. "I like to be loud with high energy and good vibes. I like to have fun. No one wants to be somewhere when people are dragging around and not enjoying themselves. I'm a winner and I'm going to create a winning culture wherever I'm at."
