Can the Texas Rangers help Rafael Montero find success at the Major League level? The club signed the injured righty to a Minor League contract.
The Texas Rangers have reportedly reached a Minor-League agreement with injured starting pitcher, Rafael Montero. The right-handed pitcher is set to miss the beginning of 2019 while recovering from Tommy John Surgery.
For the pitching-needy Rangers, this is a low risk, high reward move. Rafael Montero was once a top prospect with the New York Mets. The righty was never able to find success at the Major League level, receiving opportunities in four different campaigns.
Most Mets’ fans will remember Montero’s debut in 2014, as he was called up along with fellow righty, Jacob deGrom.
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He was expected to make an immediate impact, while deGrom was slated to join the Mets’ bullpen… Well, we all know how that worked out…
Now 28 years old, Montero did not throw an inning at any level in 2018. His last work came in 2017, where he posted a 2.48 ERA over five starts at Triple-A and a rough 5.52 ERA over 119 innings at the Major League level.
Montero has quality stuff and is arguably a “Quad-A arm”, too good for the Minor Leagues, but not good enough for the Major Leagues. Over 611 Minor League innings, Montero has produced a 3.26 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18. At the Major League level, Montero has recorded a 5.38 ERA and a WHIP of 1.71.
While Montero has always shown that he has the ability to strike batters out, as he has averaged 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings at the Major League level, he has always had issues with free passes. Over his 192.1 innings of work at the Major League level, Montero has averaged 5.2 walks per nine innings pitched.
Rafael Montero will not be able to compete for a job during Spring Training. He should be able to return by the middle of the upcoming season. The Texas Rangers have signed a talented arm, they just need to help the righty find success at the Major League level.