Lazaro Montes: Mariners 2024 Minor League Player Of The Year
Expectations were high coming into the season for 19-year-old outfielder Lazaro Montes.
He met—or surpassed—them all.
Montes is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound lefthanded hitter whose big-time power brings to mind fellow Cuban slugger Yordan Alvarez. This season he put up an impressive showing between Low-A Modesto and High-A Everett.
Montes produced a 1.001 OPS in 70 games in 2023 and continued to rake this season, batting .288/.397/.484 with 21 home runs and 105 RBIs in 116 games.
“(He) definitely rebounded and finished the year strong,” Mariners farm director Justin Toole said. “His hard work and everything that he’s put into preparing for this past year, to see that come to fruition and have the success that he had, he definitely earned the player of the year.”
The Mariners recognized Montes with two co-player of the month awards: one in May when he produced a 1.049 OPS for Modesto and one in August when he put up a 1.253 OPS for Everett.
Toole also praised Montes’ improvements on defense. While some scouts project him as a future first baseman, Toole disagrees.
“He’s definitely shown that he has the ability to play outfield, which is really exciting,” Toole said of the right fielder. “His arm continues to get better, his routes continue to get better. You’ll always find him diving, flying for balls in foul territory. He takes everything serious, defense included.”
As for 2025, there isn’t much Toole wants to see Montes change.
“It’s more of, ‘Hey, keep being the person who you are, and keep doing what you’re doing as you continue to progress,’ ” Toole said. “We can refine little things here and there, but he’s in a really good spot.”
MARINADE
— Mariners 2023 third-round pick Teddy McGraw suffered a setback earlier in September in his rehab from his second Tommy John surgery. McGraw had eight strikeouts and allowed four runs in four starts in his first professional season before being shut down. A visit to Dr. Keith Meister revealed an issue with McGraw’s flexor tendon.
— Mariners top prospect Colt Emerson ended his season on a high note, with 15 hits in his final nine games of the season, including three doubles. After struggling following his promotion to High-A Everett, the shortstop finished strong with a .364/.400/.455 mark in seven September games.
— Shortstop Cole Young was named Texas League player of the week for Aug. 26 to Sept. 1 after he hit .526/.654/737 with 10 hits and five walks.
— Double-A Arkansas’ Harry Ford became just the second minor league catcher since 2005 to steal 35 bases in a season. It was also the club record-setting 231st stolen base of the season for Arkansas.
