Matt Harvey. Zack Wheeler. Jacob deGrom. The New York Mets have pumped out some quality pitching over the last few seasons from their farm system. While many people are expecting Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz to be the next young gun to break the rotation, another one of their top pitching prospects is making a name for himself.
Rafael Montero, the Mets’ No. 9 prospect in their system, had yet another impressive outing yesterday against a New York Yankees’ squad turning some heads in the process.
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"“Right now, we still like our options with Dillon, but there’s no reason we can’t go another way,” Mets’ skipper Terry Collins told MLB.com. “We’ll leave it open.“But I was very impressed with the way [Montero] threw. That was the best I’ve seen. We’ve heard for two years about what a strike-thrower he was. Last year, when he came up, I don’t know if it was nerves or what, but we didn’t see that. Then twice this spring now we’ve seen exactly what everybody is talking about. He’s had two very good outings in a row where if it’s not a strike, it’s near the zone. That’s the kind of pitcher we know how he should be.”"
Montero started off slowly this spring, but has really put it together in his last two outings. Montero has allowed one run each over his past two appearances, one out of the bullpen along with yesterday’s start. Most impressively is that he has struck out six over that 7.2 inning span, while walking none. Yesterday’s performance came against a lineup that featured most of what is expected t be the Yankees’ Opening Day lineup, so his best outing seemingly came when it mattered most.
As Collins said, Dillon Gee will most likely win out for the Mets’ Opening Day rotation, but Montero has definitely made his case that he has turned the corner from his wild, but limited, 2014 big league debut. The 24-year old righty, who was signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Mets in 2011, is known for his control and his last two walkless outings have shown that. He has a mid-90s fastball that, when Montero is on, he can place anywhere he wants. He also has great command of his slider and changeup, so with three solid pitches and Major League ready control, Montero is a lot closer to contributing this year.
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Montero is coming off a season in the power happy Pacific Coast League where he went 6-4 over 16 starts with a 3.60 ERA while striking out 80 batters in 80 innings for Las Vegas. He has shown that he has climbed the Minor League ladder and has accomplished pretty much all that he can on the farm.
Gee has seemingly been on the trade block all winter and spring. Is now the time to move him to open a spot for Montero, or does he earn a spot in the bullpen in long relief out of spring training? It doesn’t seem like it matters much to Montero.
“I just came here to play baseball and to work on things to get better,” Montero told MLB.com. “That decision is out of my hands. I’m here to do my thing and get better. In the Minor Leagues, I was a starting pitcher. Now in the big leagues, I’m ready to pitch in whatever role they want. In the Minor Leagues, I want to start. But here in the big leagues, that’s their decision.”