After the frenzy of the MLB trade deadline began, the Boston Red Sox snuck a signing under the radar.
Boston signed its 2024 first-round MLB Draft pick, outfielder Braden Montgomery on July 30. He signed for $5 million, while the slot for the No. 12 overall pick was $5,484,600.
Montgomery was projected to be a top-10 to potentially No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft. Experts around the league praised the Red Sox for their choice, but they were shocked the young switch-hitting phenom fell to pick 12.
The 21-year-old broke his ankle late in his 2024 college season, which may be why he dropped out of the top 10 and into Boston's lap. But Craig Breslow signing the outfielder under slot value is unexpected, and a pleasant surprise.
Red Sox got lucky to draft Braden Montgomery at all, but somehow signed him under slot value
Newest member of the Red Sox fam!
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 29, 2024
We have officially signed our 1st round selection, OF Braden Montgomery. pic.twitter.com/2Lp5Z7ji8V
Montgomery played three college baseball seasons — two at Stanford and one at Texas A&M — during which he combined for a .317 batting average, 62 homers and 203 RBI. He's a former pitcher and boasts a cannon for an arm, and a video of him hosing a runner at the plate from the outfield went viral soon after he was picked.
Keith Law, baseball writer for The Athletic, considered Montgomery "the steal of the draft" to that point. The Red Sox got even luckier that he signed for under slot value, although it could be because of his ankle injury. His recovery will prevent him from playing in Boston's system until 2025, but a few months lost may not mean much against Montgomery's college success.