Mark Montgomery

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Yankees #11 prospect in 2013
  Montgomery wasn't heavily recruited out of a Williamsburg, Va., high school as a position player who pitched a little, so he headed to Longwood, a small Division I school in the middle of the state. He became the team's top reliever, and after the Yankees signed him for $65,000 as an 11th-rounder in 2011, he jumped on the fast track. He finished his first pro season in Double-A and didn't give up his first home run until Manny Machado took him deep on Aug. 4. Montgomery had the system's best slider the day he signed, and some scouts give it plus-plus grades at times. It has uncommon depth to go with low- to mid-80s power, and it gives him the consistent swing-and-miss pitch that closers need. He ranked seventh in the minors among full-season relievers with 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings last year, and not just because of his slider. He has deception in his crossfire delivery, giving his 90-93 mph fastball good running life. He has better control than might be expected for a reliever with length in his arm action. He throws a fringy changeup to help him against lefthanders, but usually his slider and fastball are enough. Montgomery could crack New York's bullpen in 2013.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #23 prospect in 2012
  Montgomery wasn't heavily recruited out of high school and originally signed with NCAA Division I independent Longwood as a shortstop. He was a two-way player as a freshman before becoming a full-time pitcher as a sophomore. That summer in the Coastal Plain League, his low-80s slider started drawing rave reviews for its tilt and tight rotation. It earned him a $65,000 bonus as an 11th-round pick and allowed him to dominate in both college (0.89 ERA, 14.2 K/9) and pro ball (1.91 ERA, 16.2 K/9) in 2011. Montgomery struck out the side in three of his four outings at Staten Island, then had a five-strikeout inning in his first game with Charleston, as his slider was too sharp for Gary Sanchez to handle. (For comparison's sake, there never has been a five-strikeout inning in the major leagues, and the South Atlantic League hadn't had one since 1997.) Montgomery's slider is already a plus pitch by big league standards, and the Yankees will put him on the fast track as they did with David Robertson. His fastball sits at 91-92 mph and touches 94, though at 5-foot- 11, he has some issues with his heater coming in flat without much downhill plane. His slider alone could make him a major leaguer, however. If like Robertson he gains velocity as a pro, Montgomery could be a late-inning force in New York. He could jump to Double-A to open his first full big league season.