HARTFORD, Conn. — A new swing and a new perspective have former Rockies first-round pick Benny Montgomery confident 2026 will be a better year. Of course, that’s a bit of a low bar for the 23-year-old outfielder, who was selected by Colorado with the eighth pick in the 2021 MLB draft. Montgomery has played in just 97 games over the last two seasons, all with Double-A Hartford. Both seasons have been marred by injuries that have kept Montgomery off the field, including a dislocated left shoulder in the 11th game of the 2024 campaign that resulted in season-ending surgery. Injuries and Montgomery have gone together throughout his pro career, with the 109 games he played in High-A Spokane in 2023 being the most so far. Hartford (Conn.) Yard Goats outfielder Benny Montgomery, who was selected with the No. 8 overall pick by the Rockies in 2021, is healthy again after a long stretch of injuries. (Photo courtesy of Hartford Yard Goats) This season, Montgomery had a choice.…