Bryce Montes de Oca

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #154 prospect in 2018 draft
  Montes de Oca had to wait quite a while to get going at Missouri. After barely pitching as a freshman, he redshirted the following year to have ulnar nerve transposition surgery, which could be considered a follow-up to the Tommy John surgery he had in high school. Since then, Montes de Oca has proved that his massive fastball is back, and he's done a good job of improving his control. He was drafted by the Nationals in the 15th round last year, which was one round later than when the White Sox took him in the 14th round out of high school in 2014. Instead of signing with the Nationals, Montes de Oca opted to return to Missouri and began his redshirt junior season by striking out 12, throwing the first seven innings of a no-hitter against Maryland Baltimore County. He also held Auburn to one hit in six scoreless innings, but after being scratched from a start against Florida because of a stiff neck, he bounced back-and-forth between the Tigers' bullpen and weekend rotation. Montes de Oca's lengthy medical history turns off some teams and the massive, 6-foot-7, 245-pound righthander doesn't always maintain his delivery, which explains his five walks per nine innings. Even with those control issues, he's 6-4, 3.21 and has held opposing hitters to a .174 average this season while striking out 10.6 batters per nine innings. As a starter, he sits 94-97 mph and touches 98-99 pretty much every time out. He's ticked 100 mph at times. In addition to his plus-plus fastball, his slurvy, 85-86 mph slider is a plus pitch thanks to its power, even if its shape is less than ideal. Montes de Oca's control troubles may lead to an eventual move to the bullpen if a pro team isn't extremely patient, but as a reliever, he could be a fast mover thanks to two plus pitches.
• Ranked #146 prospect in 2017 draft
  A 14th-round pick of the White Sox out of high school, Montes de Oca ranked 72nd on Baseball America's 2014 Top 500 Draft Prospects rankings, but slipped in the draft because of his asking price and concerns about Tommy John surgery that wiped out his junior year of high school. Since arriving at Missouri, Montes de Oca has had further arm issues. He barely pitched because of control issues as a freshman then made only one appearance as a sophomore before being shut down to have nerve transposition surgery to relocate a nerve in his pitching elbow. But as a junior, Montes de Oca pitched his way from a mid-week starting job to become Missouri's Sunday starter by the start of the conference schedule. Montes de Oca is a massive 6-foot-7, 265 pounds, and he's had to work to better repeat his delivery, which features a high elbow in the back his arm action that concerns some evaluators. Montes de Oca works from the stretch at all times to simplify his delivery. He'll battle bouts of wildness and has below-average control, which is why a number of scouts believe he'll move immediately to the bullpen as a pro. He can maintain 92-95 mph as a starter and has touched 97 this spring and threw a tick harder than that during fall ball last year. His plus fastball might get even better in a move to the pen. His hard curveball's shape varies from pitch to pitch and outing to outing, but at its best it's at least an average pitch. His medical history will scare off some teams, but his surprising athleticism, big arm strength and significant improvement in 2017 should entice someone to take him before too long on day two of the draft.
• Ranked #72 prospect in 2014 draft
  Kansas has produced only three top-three round prep pitchers in the last three decades, but Montes De Oca's power stuff puts him in contention to be the fourth. Montes De Oca burst onto the national scene in October 2012 when the 6-foot-8 rising junior ran his fastball up to 95 mph at the World Wood Bat Championships in Jupiter, Fla. He underwent Tommy John surgery early in the spring of his junior season, missing the entire showcase circuit. Montes De Oca returned to game action this spring on the one-year anniversary of his surgery, brandishing a 94-97 fastball that touched 98 on a 35-pitch limit. He has not maintained this premium velocity throughout the spring, sitting 90-93 in one start. Montes De Oca has a heavy fastball with sink and arm-side run when down in the zone. His curveball shows the makings of an average offering and will need to be tightened for evaluators to project more. While he has shown feel for a changeup, the offering is seldom used in game action. The 6-foot-8, 265-pounder is an imposing physical presence with strength throughout his extra-large frame and long extremities. Scouts say that although he has looked strong and durable this spring, he will have to watch his weight going forward. His body type is one with very little historical antecedence at the top of the draft or from the high school ranks. The last three high school pitchers who were taller than 6-foot-7 to go in the top two rounds of the draft (Sean West, Chris Volstad, Matt Smoral) averaged 203 pounds with a high-water mark of 220. The majority (82 percent) of tall pitchers (6-foot-8 or taller) to reach the majors have come from the college ranks. Big pitchers often face questions about their strike-throwing ability, and the Missouri commit will be no different, especially with a stab in his arm action, tilt in his delivery and a head snap. But his raw power stuff is among the best in the 2014 class.