Just days after a tough three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, which pushed them below .500, the White Sox may have found a silver lining in a rookie shortstop. While his bat has yet to make a major impact, it was a single, spectacular moment against the Rockies that had Coors Field roaring.

We are talking about Colson Montgomery, a fresh face on the White Sox roster. With a breathtaking catch, he has thrust himself into early contention for the best defensive play of the season. And if this moment is any indication, the future on the South Side may be brighter than expected!

For the unversed, Montgomery made his big-league debut on Friday night against the Rockies and in the second inning, he pulled off a highlight-reel play, sprinting back and diving to snag Rockies’ slugger Ryan Ritter’s broken-bat blooper with an over-the-shoulder catch!

“WELCOME TO THE SHOW, COLSON MONTGOMERY,” MLB’s official Instagram handle wrote, sharing a video clip of Montgomery’s catch.

And, that was not the only thing Montgomery did in his debut game. At the top of the second inning, he reached base in a rather unusual way. On a catcher’s interference call! Per the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first player since 1961 to reach base that way in his first career plate appearance.

But, while he shined in defense, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound youngster couldn’t make a mark with the bat. He finished the night 0-for-2 with a walk in the White Sox’s 3-2 win.

“He’s going to be one of the better athletes on the field. He’s a big, strong human being,” Justin Jirschele, the first base coach of White Sox said in a recent interview. And, the 23-year-old showed glimpses of that in his debut game itself.

Montgomery is not someone who has burst out of nowhere. He has been with the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights, for the last 5 seasons and is currently ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the White Sox system and No. 95 overall in baseball.

In 55 games with Charlotte, Montgomery hit .218 with 11 HRs and 30 RBIs. So, it was quite logical for the White Sox to promote him. However, for now, the fans are all intrigued by the spectacular catch taken by him. Let’s find out what they’re saying.

The White Sox rookie’s catch has left the fans stunned

When was the last time a rookie showed such athleticism in his debut game? The fans are left scratching their head. “Rookie of the Year loading,” wrote a fan. Well, isn’t it too early to conclude anything, that too based on one fielding effort? First of all, Montgomery has started the season in the second half, and this year’s ROY leaderboard is intense. Jacob Wilson of the A’s is leading the chart with 9 HR, 40 RBIs, and .339 BA. Now, that would take a good time for Montgomery to cover. But yeah, if he maintains his hot start, accolades will be on the way.

“That rivals the David Wright barehanded catch if we’re being honest,” another fan chimed in. Remember the Mets’ 3B David Wright? His barehanded catch against the Padres in 2005 got him the Baseball Play of the Year Award. Montgomery’s catch could be compared to that of Wright, but hey, we hope Montgomery lasts for a long time. Notably, Wright had to forfeit his career due to debilitating spinal stenosis.

“Sick,” wrote an awestruck fan. Well, sick it was. Just check the footage. The risk involved was immense. The White Sox fans on the field must have breathed a sigh of relief that the kid didn’t injure himself.

“Great catch. Too bad it’s the White Sox,” read another comment. Now, here’s a point! The dedication shown by Montgomery would have held much more value if he was a part of a winning team. The White Sox are currently holding a 29-59 record and are dwelling in the basement of the AL Central. It’s very unlikely that they will reach the postseason.

“The greatest series we may ever witness,” wrote one more netizen. Well, it was not directly referred to Montgomery’s heroics. It was more of a sarcastic jab at the ongoing White Sox-Rockies series. These two teams are currently occupying the bottom spots in the AL Central and NL West respectively. But hey, the series still featured one of the most stunning catches in the majors this year.

Hopefully, the White Sox offer a better product to their fans next year. That will ensure such extraordinary efforts get their due value.