SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Colson Montgomery had just launched a 409-foot home run with a 105 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast, helping to corral Most Valuable Player honors during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park on Sunday night.

His performance was buzzworthy enough, but my brief postgame line of questioning dealt strictly with Tim Anderson, the talented shortstop and the face of the White Sox who had his $14 million team option declined Saturday (with a $1 million buyout). The 21-year-old Montgomery, who turns 22 on Feb. 27, smiled and understood the focus as the White Sox No. 1 prospect and No. 17 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and the organization’s next big thing at shortstop.

“I don’t really know what to say about all that,” Montgomery said. “I’ve been asked a whole bunch, what do I think, and I still have to go perform.

“That spot they have there, it’s up for grabs now. They are going to give it to somebody who earns it. I have to go to work and do what I have to do.”

Nobody is anointing Montgomery the Opening Day shortstop for the White Sox, and Montgomery isn’t pushing aside a player in Anderson who won a batting title in 2019, started at shortstop for the American League in the 2022 All-Star Game and played for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Anderson’s bravado and passion for the game thrust the White Sox into national prominence.

Montgomery didn’t spend an abundance of time around Anderson, but he learned quite a bit through their work and conversations during Spring Training.

“He would always call me 'young buck' or 'youngster,' and he’s still young,” Montgomery said with a laugh. “My biggest takeaway from him was just being you and don’t try to be anybody you are not -- because you get in trouble when you try to be someone you are not on the field.

“When you see him on the field, he’s being him. He’s not trying to be somebody he’s not. I’m very happy with the time I had with him. I learned a lot about how hard he plays and just how much he loves the game.”

A chance exists for Anderson and Montgomery to play together again with the White Sox, although Anderson certainly will explore every free agent avenue at shortstop. Montgomery has a polished approach at the plate beyond his years, but also only has 179 at-bats at Double-A Birmingham.

General manager Chris Getz has preached to White Sox players at every level about approaching 2024 Spring Training with the mindset of making the team. That mindset still doesn’t guarantee Montgomery facing the Tigers on Opening Day next year in Chicago.

“Me and the White Sox have a good understanding of where I’m at,” Montgomery said. “They have a good idea of where I’m at with a lot of things. I don’t think they are rushing things. The time is right, the time is right. 

“They all have a plan for everything. If I go into camp, and the spot is there, if everything goes the right way and I do get the spot, it’s going to be awesome. If I don’t, there’s going to be a reason. All that stuff is out of my control. Only thing I can do is focus on playing.”

Stephen Vogt to the Guardians. Carlos Mendoza to the Mets. And Craig Counsell to the … Cubs?! Yes, it was an interesting start to the GM Meetings, and those are just managerial moves coming down on Monday. 

I saw Getz, and much of the White Sox front office, at Camelback Ranch last Thursday night taking in the Glendale Desert Dogs game -- with Montgomery singling home two runs, No. 18 prospect Jordan Leasure throwing a scoreless frame and No. 7 prospect Bryan Ramos launching a walk-off grand slam. That evening capped off a day rife with productive organization meetings with all the department heads.

The White Sox have spoken about contending for an American League Central title next season. They also want to build a team capable of contending well beyond 2024, so all those configurations will come together as they figure out the roster puzzle.

“There’s certainly a short-term, midterm and long-term goal,” Getz said during a recent Zoom. “It’s going to take a little bit of time to certainly present itself, but there is a plan in place. I look forward to executing it. 

“Generally speaking, we certainly need to improve at many spots [on the defensive side]. Fundamentally, there were some breakdowns that led to some really ugly games. We have some talent on the roster, but it's not a team that has come together and produced on a consistent basis. And that's why we're in the position that we're in.”

Which one of these individuals played on the same Major League team as Getz during Getz’s two big league years with the White Sox in 2008-09?

A. Jason Bourgeois
B. Chris Sale
C. Joakim Soria
D. Melky Cabrera

“We just established that we would have a good team if we had a basketball team.” -- Montgomery, on whether he ever debated with Anderson who was the better basketball player. Both played starring roles on state championship high school teams.

“It seems like we are all meshing really well together. They are really great players and even better people. It’s exciting to come up with them and hopefully make an impact next year all together. It would be really cool.” -- Leasure, on getting to know his fellow young White Sox players.

• I had the pleasure of sitting next to Chris and Stefan Caray during the Fall Stars Game Sunday. They are the sons of Chip Caray and are admirably carrying on the family’s amazing broadcasting legacy covering four generations. Talk about stars in the making. They’re incredibly knowledgeable and mature young men.

• Look for the White Sox full coaching staff to be announced Tuesday, but at the latest in a day or two. I’ve heard one of the new coaches has past White Sox ties.

• Happy special birthday to my friend, Kris. She’s forever young. 

A. Bourgeois.

Everyone but Sale actually played with Getz. Soria and Getz were teammates in Kansas City, and Getz and Cabrera together with the Royals and Toronto. Getz, Bourgeois, Soria and Cabrera played for the White Sox, but with six games and three plate appearances, Bourgeois joined Getz as small parts of the 2008 AL Central champions. Getz had seven plate appearances during the '08 regular season. 

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