Austin, Texas: Baseball All-Star Montgomery Joins Texas A&M Ranks
Top MLB prospect Braden Montgomery has shocked the baseball world by choosing to swap his allegiance from Stanford, the stepping-stone to his success, to the stand-out team Texas A&M. Making his mark with a .322 batting average, 27 stunning home runs, and a whopping 85 RBIs, the switch-hitting outfielder has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the field.
The Dynamic Duo: Montgomery and LaViolette
Existing Aggies outfielder Jace LaViolette teamed up with Montgomery make up a powerful duo that sets Texas A&M apart as one of the most potent outfields in the college baseball zone. The duo is already poised at the gates of the NCAA Baseball Tournament super regional.
Montgomery’s Departure from Stanford
Despite a successful stint at Stanford, which saw Montgomery lead the Cardinal to the College World Series, the player decided to enter the transfer portal and join his rival team. It’s worth noting that Montgomery was the thorn in Texas A&M’s side in the past season’s Stanford Regional, being the key player in shutting the Aggies out of the season.
Why did Montgomery Say Goodbye to Stanford?
Given his exceptional form and achievements at Stanford, Montgomery’s decision to transfer was an unexpected one. Nevertheless, the player himself provided clarity during an interview, attributing his move to his desire to continue his collaboration with longtime hitting coach, Jeremy Isenhower, based in Houston.
Montgomery was also keen on facing off with the top-tier talent of the SEC. “Getting to work one on one with Jeremy is huge, because…”, he commented on his coach’s commendable ability to help him improve on the field.
2024 MLB Draft: Montgomery Stepping Stones
The Texas A&M slugger is speculated to be preparing himself for the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft. Insights from MLB.com reveal that Isenhower coaches established MLB stars Bobby Witt Jr and Alec Bohm as well.
Despite his family’s initial hesitation regarding the transfer, Montgomery was supported in the move which could potentially ignite a fresh start to his pitching career; this is in spite of allowing four runs on a single home run with four walks in this season’s two innings for the Aggies.
The Future Awaits: Montgomery’s MLB Mock Draft
According to projections from MLB Pipeline and ESPN, Montgomery might make a splash in the 2024 MLB Draft. MLB Pipeline expects Montgomery to be the 4th overall selection by Oakland Athletics. Meanwhile, ESPN ranks him as the 6th prospect.
Braden Montgomery’s Spectacular Stats
In both 2022 and 2023 seasons, Montgomery displayed an upward trend in performance during his time with Stanford marked by consistent increases in batting average, number of home runs, and RBIs. This undoubtedly contributes to his current impressive stats at Texas A&M; his repeated successes on-field set him among the elite in college baseball.