The Colorado Rockies organization has seen its second first-round prospect retire in five years.
Outfielder Benny Montgomery, who was selected eighth overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, retired from professional baseball Monday at the age of 23, having never reached the major leagues.
Montgomery was selected out of Pennsylvania’s Red Land High School having entered his senior season the top outfield prospect in the 2021 class.
He initially committed to playing college baseball at the University of Virginia, but signed with Colorado after the draft.
In his minor league career, Montgomery batted .249 with 29 home runs, 169 RBIs and 41 steals in 323 games.
This season marked Montgomery’s third striaght playing for the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats. In 41 games this season, Montgomery slashed .203/.272/.372.
Montgomery never advanced beyond Double-A.
Several injuries plagued him during his s short career, which led to inconsistency as he failed to meet the enormous expectations he carried coming out of high school.
The worst of it was a severely dislocated left shoulder he suffered in 2024 on a dive in center field. The injury required surgery, and Montgomery’s performance was never the same.
The 2021 draft class has proven to be fairly lackluster thus far, with Padres outfielder and 27th overall selection Jackson Merrill the highlight.
Sal Frelick and Matt McLain were other notable selections.
The Rockies’ 2016 fourth overall pick, righty pitcher Riley Pint, first retired in 2021 before returning to the organization, making his major-league debut in 2023, and retiring again in March 2026 at 28 years old.