Catching propect Jesus Montero is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound monster of a catcher and the 19-year-old is continuing to tear up the minor leagues at an astonishing rate.
After hitting .326 with 17 homers and 87 RBIs for Low-A Charleston last season, the Venezuelan stormed out of the gate this season in High-A Tampa, batting .356 with 37 RBIs in 48 games before getting the call from Double-A Trenton.
"I was doing everything really good because I wanted
to get here fast," Montero told the New York Post. "Thank God they gave me the opportunity to be
here right now."
Since joining Trenton, Montero has belted five homers and knocked in 17 RBIs to go with a .295 batting average in 30 games. The catcher has been rated as the third best prospect in the game by Baseball America.
"People have taken notice, without a doubt," Yankees
general manager Brian Cashman told the Post. "All he's doing is outperforming the norm; at that age it's extremely impressive. His work ethic is strong, and he's hungry and he
cares and he's got ability. He's got to maintain that as he moves up the ladder,
but so far it's nice to see he refuses to be denied."
Montero, who many scouts feel can be promoted to the big leagues by next summer, was signed in 2006 for $1.65 million.
"I think he's proving, without a doubt, that he has a chance to be an everyday
catcher in the big leagues, and our organization is excited about that," Cashman said. "We are
excited about the bat, but now that he has a chance to remain behind the plate,
that's a whole different animal there."
