Amid all of the Baltimore Orioles hot stove news this past month, one move may have gone under the radar. Baltimore inked first baseman Jesus Montero to a minor league deal earlier this month, as first reported by Jon Heyman.
Montero, however, will not be eligible to make his Orioles debut right away. He is scheduled to serve a 50-game suspension, without pay, after he tested positive for a banned stimulant in September as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization. This was his second run-in with the MLB’s drug policy.
What impact, if any, can Montero have in Baltimore this season?
Montero will make his way to the Baltimore minor leagues midway through the season after he serves his suspension. He will likely appear first in Double-A Bowie or Triple-A Norfolk. He could become a candidate to see some time on the big league roster, depending on if the Orioles need help behind the plate or at first base at any point.
Many fans will remember Montero as a top catching prospect in the New York Yankees organization. He spent five seasons in the New York farm system, and he was one of the most highly praised prospects in recent Yankees history when he made his debut in 2011.
In a short 18-game stint that season, Montero was electric for New York. As a 21 year-old he hit four home runs in just 61 at-bats, and he batted .328. He was then shipped to the Seattle Mariners in an offseason blockbuster for Michael Pineda, and he never seemed to find his way with the Mariners.
Well, his first season in 2012 was a relative success, with 15 home runs and 62 runs batted in. But over the next three years he played in just 73 major league games total, batting .217. Injuries, weight issues and altercations with team members all plagued Montero during his time with the Mariners organization.
He signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, and found some moderate success after that. Montero hit .317 with 11 home runs in 126 games for Triple-A Buffalo.
The Orioles will hope that they’ll get that Montero heading into 2017.
If so, he could at one point have an impact on the big league roster next season.
However, the Orioles already have Caleb Joseph and signed Welington Castillo behind the plate earlier in the offseason. Even at first base, the Orioles have other options. Chris Davis, Christian Walker and the recently-signed Mark Trumbo can all fill time there.
If Montero can keep himself healthy and productive in the minors, he could see a call up somewhere in the future. But that is a big “if,” obviously. For now, the team will wait and see his production in the minor leagues.
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