No. 10 Rox prospect Montgomery has shoulder surgery

DENVER -- Double-A Hartford outfielder and Rockies No. 10 prospect Benny Montgomery, the team’s top pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, underwent surgery Friday to repair a left shoulder injury, Rockies director of player development Chris Forbes said.

Montgomery, 21, sustained the injury while diving for a ball in the outfield. In 11 games through April 20, Montgomery was slashing .283/.313/.500 with two home runs, four doubles and 10 RBIs. Montgomery was an All-Arizona Fall League selection in 2023, and put himself more squarely on the radar with his willingness to put in extensive work on his defense during Spring Training.

“He hurt his left shoulder on a dive -- dislocated it and did some damage to the shoulder capsule and labrum,” Forbes said. “If we get him back this year, it will be toward the end.”

Montgomery announced the surgery on his X and Instagram pages, adding, “Journey, not a destination,” to his posts.

This is the second straight year that the Rockies have had a top pick and outfield prospect undergo a surgery. Last year, Zac Veen, the club’s top pick in 2020, had surgery on his left hand/wrist in June and missed the remainder of the season. Veen, 22, the team’s No. 6 prospect, has returned healthy and is hitting .342 with five home runs and a 1.074 OPS through 23 games this season.