Benny Montgomery Stats & Scouting Report

AB	11
AVG	.364
OBP	.462
SLG	.636
HR	0

Full name Benjamin Dennis Montgomery
Born 09/09/2002 in Paoli, PA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Red Land
Drafted in the 1st round (8th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2021 (signed for $5,000,000).

View Draft Report

Montgomery's high school games drew huge crowds of club officials, who left with their scouting cards filled with 60s and 70s on his tool grades. His combination of athleticism, outstanding tools and physical upside is hard to top in this year's draft, though it's a profile that comes with risk due to his hitting ability. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Montgomery has a tall, sleek frame with plenty of room to continue filling out while staying lean and athletic. He's a 70 runner with a plus arm, projecting to stick in center field where he has long, gliding strides and good closing speed on balls hit into the gaps. At the plate, Montgomery's bat speed ranks among the best in the class. He shows plus raw power in batting practice, and as he matures physically, that power might jump another grade. The upside is obvious and exciting, but many clubs have reservations about Montgomery's ability to make it all click against live pitching. Montgomery has cleaned up his swing some since last year, doing a better job of staying back and keeping his front hip closed. He's still a long-armed hitter with a hitch in his swing, with a lack of timing and balance that add risks to his hitting ability and cut into his ability to translate his power in games. But the minute Montgomery signs, he will be one of the toolsiest players in his organization. Teams that value more refined hitting skills will have Montgomery lower than where he's ranked here, while teams that prioritize raw tools and athleticism will have him pushed up their boards. Other premium athlete high school center fielders with a hit risk like Bubba Starling, Donavan Tate, Lewis Brinson and Bubba Thompson were all first-round picks and some of them went top-five overall. Montgomery won't go in the top five, but he should follow their path as a first-rounder, with some expecting him to be the first high school outfielder off the board.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 55/Extreme

Track Record: Montgomery was a tooled-up high school player with an unusual swing and major questions about his hitting ability. Despite these concerns, the Rockies selected Montgomery with the eighth overall pick and signed him for a $5 million bonus. Montgomery dealt with a quadriceps injury during his full-season debut in 2022, but the Rockies trusted his offseason development enough to assign him to High-A Spokane. He put together a league-average season and participated in the Arizona Fall League following the year.

Scouting Report: Montgomery has always had loud tools but a lack of baseball skills to make them play to their fullest. He’s tinkered with his swing over the years, but still rushes through his mechanics. Montgomery had the highest drop in chase rate of any hitter in minor league baseball in 2023, which led to a climb in walk rate and more consistent plate appearances. Despite the drastic improvement in approach, Montgomery’s bat-to-ball skills are still below-average. He has plus raw power, but his lack of barrel control means he rarely gets to it. Montgomery has plus-plus bat speed and could unleash more of his power if he fixes his timing issues. Montgomery is a plus-plus runner who plays a plus center field with a plus arm. He has a high ceiling but won’t get to it unless he shows more hitting ability.

The Future: Montgomery is a tooled-up center fielder who will struggle to consistently hit.

Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 70 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: One of the top high school players in the 2021 draft, Montgomery flashed impressive tools and athleticism during his draft summer. He was selected by the Rockies eighth overall and signed for $5 million, the highest bonus in history for a Pennsylvania high school player. He debuted in the Arizona Complex League by hitting .340/.404/.383 in 14 games. Assigned to Low-A Fresno in 2022, Montgomery made 56 starts while dealing with two stints on the injured list for a quadriceps injury. He returned to the Fresno lineup on July 6 and hit .329/.420/.526 with 18 doubles, two triples and four home runs over his final 41 games.

Scouting Report: It's easy to dream on Montgomery's tantalizing tools, especially his plus raw power and double-plus speed. While Montgomery has elite athleticism and twitch, his overall skills and swing are still raw. His setup at the plate has been a point of much debate dating back years. Montgomery has gone through multiple iterations of his swing with different levels of pre-pitch hand movement. His swing employs a high leg kick, a hand pump, a bat wrap and arm bar at the point of contact. Despite multiple mechanical red flags, Montgomery produced consistent hard contact in 2022. He faces questions about his approach and bat-to-ball skills due to a high whiff rate and high chase rate. Montgomery's raw power is plus, as evidenced by his standout 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.4 mph. His running is plus and should impact the game on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Montgomery has the speed, athleticism and skills to handle center field with a plus throwing arm.

The Future: Few players in the game have the loud tools that Montgomery possesses, but it's a matter of him adding refinement in the coming years and developing into an above-average regular center fielder.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 55. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60
Track Record: Montgomery emerged as arguably the best player in a historically strong Northeast high school draft class in 2021, with his freakish athleticism drawing large crowds of scouts to every game. The Rockies drafted him eighth overall and signed him for $5 million, the most ever for a player from Pennsylvania, to forgo a Virginia commitment. Montgomery reported to the Arizona Complex League after signing and had a solid pro debut, albeit in only 14 games, and finished the year in instructional league.

Scouting Report: Montgomery’s raw tools are immense. He has plus-plus speed, plus arm strength and the athleticism to develop into a plus defender in center field, although he needs to improve his jumps and routes going into the gaps. He also has plus raw power he’ll show off in batting practice. The question is how much Montgomery will hit. He has a large hitch in his swing, which currently is more rigid and less fluid than it needs to be, and his timing and balance have a long way to go for him to be even a fringe-average hitter. He has plenty of bat speed and decent hand-eye coordination, but he’ll need to prove he can make adjustments against higher-level pitching. His swing is consistently compared to Hunter Pence’s, which can be both a good and bad thing with how funky and awkward it gets.

The Future: Montgomery has a wide range of outcomes depending on how his swing develops. If it clicks, he could be an above-average, everyday center fielder. If it doesn’t, he’ll struggle to get out of the low minors like previous athletic prep outfielders.

Draft Prospects

Montgomery's high school games drew huge crowds of club officials, who left with their scouting cards filled with 60s and 70s on his tool grades. His combination of athleticism, outstanding tools and physical upside is hard to top in this year's draft, though it's a profile that comes with risk due to his hitting ability. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Montgomery has a tall, sleek frame with plenty of room to continue filling out while staying lean and athletic. He's a 70 runner with a plus arm, projecting to stick in center field where he has long, gliding strides and good closing speed on balls hit into the gaps. At the plate, Montgomery's bat speed ranks among the best in the class. He shows plus raw power in batting practice, and as he matures physically, that power might jump another grade. The upside is obvious and exciting, but many clubs have reservations about Montgomery's ability to make it all click against live pitching. Montgomery has cleaned up his swing some since last year, doing a better job of staying back and keeping his front hip closed. He's still a long-armed hitter with a hitch in his swing, with a lack of timing and balance that add risks to his hitting ability and cut into his ability to translate his power in games. But the minute Montgomery signs, he will be one of the toolsiest players in his organization. Teams that value more refined hitting skills will have Montgomery lower than where he's ranked here, while teams that prioritize raw tools and athleticism will have him pushed up their boards. Other premium athlete high school center fielders with a hit risk like Bubba Starling, Donavan Tate, Lewis Brinson and Bubba Thompson were all first-round picks and some of them went top-five overall. Montgomery won't go in the top five, but he should follow their path as a first-rounder, with some expecting him to be the first high school outfielder off the board.

Minor League Top Prospects

One of the toolsiest players in the 2021 draft, Montgomery was selected by the Rockies with the eighth overall pick and signed for $5 million. His brief appearances in the ACL left scouts unsure how to project him. He showed impressive raw power in batting practice but struggled to get to it in games with his swing. Montgomery has an athletic, coordinated swing with some feel to hit, but can get long and a bit off time, resulting in a high groundball rate. The Rockies didn’t make any swing adjustments after Montgomery arrived in the ACL. He missed time with several nagging injuries, so his hitting development will continue in instructional league. “We’re going to let him play,” Rockies manager Jake Opitz said. “It’s a huge power/speed combo, off the charts in both area . . . The best true power I’ve seen from an 18-year-old.” Montgomery is a 70-grade runner with a plus arm who is still working on his jumps and reads in the outfield. He projects to be at least an above-average defender.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: One of the top high school players in the 2021 draft, Montgomery flashed impressive tools and athleticism during his draft summer. He was selected by the Rockies eighth overall and signed for $5 million, the highest bonus in history for a Pennsylvania high school player. He debuted in the Arizona Complex League by hitting .340/.404/.383 in 14 games. Assigned to Low-A Fresno in 2022, Montgomery made 56 starts while dealing with two stints on the injured list for a quadriceps injury. He returned to the Fresno lineup on July 6 and hit .329/.420/.526 with 18 doubles, two triples and four home runs over his final 41 games.

Scouting Report: It's easy to dream on Montgomery's tantalizing tools, especially his plus raw power and double-plus speed. While Montgomery has elite athleticism and twitch, his overall skills and swing are still raw. His setup at the plate has been a point of much debate dating back years. Montgomery has gone through multiple iterations of his swing with different levels of pre-pitch hand movement. His swing employs a high leg kick, a hand pump, a bat wrap and arm bar at the point of contact. Despite multiple mechanical red flags, Montgomery produced consistent hard contact in 2022. He faces questions about his approach and bat-to-ball skills due to a high whiff rate and high chase rate. Montgomery's raw power is plus, as evidenced by his standout 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.4 mph. His running is plus and should impact the game on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Montgomery has the speed, athleticism and skills to handle center field with a plus throwing arm.

The Future: Few players in the game have the loud tools that Montgomery possesses, but it's a matter of him adding refinement in the coming years and developing into an above-average regular center fielder.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 55. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: One of the top high school players in the 2021 draft, Montgomery flashed impressive tools and athleticism during his draft summer. He was selected by the Rockies eighth overall and signed for $5 million, the highest bonus in history for a Pennsylvania high school player. He debuted in the Arizona Complex League by hitting .340/.404/.383 in 14 games. Assigned to Low-A Fresno in 2022, Montgomery made 56 starts while dealing with two stints on the injured list for a quadriceps injury. He returned to the Fresno lineup on July 6 and hit .329/.420/.526 with 18 doubles, two triples and four home runs over his final 41 games.

Scouting Report: It's easy to dream on Montgomery's tantalizing tools, especially his plus raw power and double-plus speed. While Montgomery has elite athleticism and twitch, his overall skills and swing are still raw. His setup at the plate has been a point of much debate dating back years. Montgomery has gone through multiple iterations of his swing with different levels of pre-pitch hand movement. His swing employs a high leg kick, a hand pump, a bat wrap and arm bar at the point of contact. Despite multiple mechanical red flags, Montgomery produced consistent hard contact in 2022. He faces questions about his approach and bat-to-ball skills due to a high whiff rate and high chase rate. Montgomery's raw power is plus, as evidenced by his standout 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.4 mph. His running is plus and should impact the game on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Montgomery has the speed, athleticism and skills to handle center field with a plus throwing arm.

The Future: Few players in the game have the loud tools that Montgomery possesses, but it's a matter of him adding refinement in the coming years and developing into an above-average regular center fielder.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 55. Running: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60
BA Grade: 55/Extreme

Track Record: Montgomery emerged as arguably the best player in a historically strong Northeast high school draft class in 2021, with his freakish athleticism drawing large crowds of scouts to every game. The Rockies drafted him eighth overall and signed him for $5 million, the most ever for a player from Pennsylvania, to forgo a Virginia commitment. Montgomery reported to the Arizona Complex League after signing and had a solid pro debut, albeit in only 14 games, and finished the year in instructional league.

Scouting Report: Montgomery&#39s raw tools are immense. He has plus-plus speed, plus arm strength and the athleticism to develop into a plus defender in center field, although he needs to improve his jumps and routes going into the gaps. He also has plus raw power he&#39ll show off in batting practice. The question is how much Montgomery will hit. He has a large hitch in his swing, which currently is more rigid and less fluid than it needs to be, and his timing and balance have a long way to go for him to be even a fringe-average hitter. He has plenty of bat speed and decent hand-eye coordination, but he&#39ll need to prove he can make adjustments against higher-level pitching. His swing is consistently compared to Hunter Pence&#39s, which can be both a good and bad thing with how funky and awkward it gets.

The Future: Montgomery has a wide range of outcomes depending on how his swing develops. If it clicks, he could be an above-average, everyday center fielder. If it doesn&#39t, he&#39ll struggle to get out of the low minors like previous athletic prep outfielders.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
Track Record: Montgomery emerged as arguably the best player in a historically strong Northeast high school draft class in 2021, with his freakish athleticism drawing large crowds of scouts to every game. The Rockies drafted him eighth overall and signed him for $5 million, the most ever for a player from Pennsylvania, to forgo a Virginia commitment. Montgomery reported to the Arizona Complex League after signing and had a solid pro debut, albeit in only 14 games, and finished the year in instructional league.

Scouting Report: Montgomery’s raw tools are immense. He has plus-plus speed, plus arm strength and the athleticism to develop into a plus defender in center field, although he needs to improve his jumps and routes going into the gaps. He also has plus raw power he’ll show off in batting practice. The question is how much Montgomery will hit. He has a large hitch in his swing, which currently is more rigid and less fluid than it needs to be, and his timing and balance have a long way to go for him to be even a fringe-average hitter. He has plenty of bat speed and decent hand-eye coordination, but he’ll need to prove he can make adjustments against higher-level pitching. His swing is consistently compared to Hunter Pence’s, which can be both a good and bad thing with how funky and awkward it gets.

The Future: Montgomery has a wide range of outcomes depending on how his swing develops. If it clicks, he could be an above-average, everyday center fielder. If it doesn’t, he’ll struggle to get out of the low minors like previous athletic prep outfielders.
One of the toolsiest players in the 2021 draft, Montgomery was selected by the Rockies with the eighth overall pick and signed for $5 million. His brief appearances in the ACL left scouts unsure how to project him. He showed impressive raw power in batting practice but struggled to get to it in games with his swing. Montgomery has an athletic, coordinated swing with some feel to hit, but can get long and a bit off time, resulting in a high groundball rate. The Rockies didn’t make any swing adjustments after Montgomery arrived in the ACL. He missed time with several nagging injuries, so his hitting development will continue in instructional league. “We’re going to let him play,” Rockies manager Jake Opitz said. “It’s a huge power/speed combo, off the charts in both area . . . The best true power I’ve seen from an 18-year-old.” Montgomery is a 70-grade runner with a plus arm who is still working on his jumps and reads in the outfield. He projects to be at least an above-average defender.
Montgomery's high school games drew huge crowds of club officials, who left with their scouting cards filled with 60s and 70s on his tool grades. His combination of athleticism, outstanding tools and physical upside is hard to top in this year's draft, though it's a profile that comes with risk due to his hitting ability. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Montgomery has a tall, sleek frame with plenty of room to continue filling out while staying lean and athletic. He's a 70 runner with a plus arm, projecting to stick in center field where he has long, gliding strides and good closing speed on balls hit into the gaps. At the plate, Montgomery's bat speed ranks among the best in the class. He shows plus raw power in batting practice, and as he matures physically, that power might jump another grade. The upside is obvious and exciting, but many clubs have reservations about Montgomery's ability to make it all click against live pitching. Montgomery has cleaned up his swing some since last year, doing a better job of staying back and keeping his front hip closed. He's still a long-armed hitter with a hitch in his swing, with a lack of timing and balance that add risks to his hitting ability and cut into his ability to translate his power in games. But the minute Montgomery signs, he will be one of the toolsiest players in his organization. Teams that value more refined hitting skills will have Montgomery lower than where he's ranked here, while teams that prioritize raw tools and athleticism will have him pushed up their boards. Other premium athlete high school center fielders with a hit risk like Bubba Starling, Donavan Tate, Lewis Brinson and Bubba Thompson were all first-round picks and some of them went top-five overall