Tampa Bay Rays Sign Former Rockies Infielder Coco Montes to Minor League Contract

Coco Montes left for Japan after another solid season with the Colorado Rockies' Triple-A squad, but now he is returning to affiliated baseball and spending Spring Training with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Mar 9, 2024; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies infielder Coco Montes (85) makes the throw to first base against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning during a spring training game at Sloan Park. / Allan Henry-Imagn Images

As it turns out, Eloy Jiménez wasn't the only former big leaguer the Tampa Bay Rays signed to a minor league contract on Monday.

The Rays also inked former Colorado Rockies infielder Coco Montes to a minor league deal, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. Like Jiménez, Montes has earned an invite to major league Spring Training camp, although it is unlikely that he carries a potential price tag anywhere near Jiménez's maxed out value of $4 million.

Montes made his MLB debut with the Rockies in 2023, only to return to Triple-A in 2024. Midway through the season, Colorado released Montes so he could sign with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.

In 48 games overseas, Montes hit .282 with one home run, 16 RBI and a .715 OPS.

Now 28 years old, Montes has a shot to return to the majors in Tampa Bay. In his 18 games of MLB action last season, he hit .184 with one home run, three RBI, a .560 OPS and a -0.3 WAR.

Montes is a .305 hitter with 51 home runs, 213 RBI, 29 stolen bases and a .920 OPS across 282 career appearances in Triple-A, so he will at least provide solid organizational depth for the Rays even if he doesn't make their Opening Day roster. He also started playing in the outfield in Japan, adding to his three primary positions of second base, third base and shortstop.

The former 15th round pick is a product of the University of Southern Florida, playing his college ball in Tampa.

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