Mariners' Top Prospect Whacks First Home Run Since Recent Promotion
Seattle Mariners' top prospect Laz Montes hit a home run on Saturday night, his first since being promoted to Single-A Everett from Modesto.
The popular @MiLBMariners account posted the video on social media:
Lazaro Montes blasts his first Northwest League HR! pic.twitter.com/DctvnmNx7O
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) June 30, 2024
The 19-year-old is the fourth-highest ranked prospect in the M's organization according to MLB.com. He is ranked a Top 100 (No. 80) prospect in baseball per the same service.
Through 70 games at Modesto and Everett this year, Montes is hitting .312 with a robust .413 on-base percentage. He's got 14 homers, 76 RBI and has added two stolen bases. He's hitting .350 through his first five games at Everett.
The Mariners currently lead the American League West by 4.5 games heading into play on Sunday and will be looking to upgrade the roster at the looming trade deadline. As they do that, Montes will be a name that other teams will surely look to try to pry away from Seattle. They will obviously do their best to hold onto all five Top 100 prospects that they currently have (Montes, Cole Young, Colt Emerson, Harry Ford and Felnin Celesten).
Here's a portion of Montes's MLB.com prospect profile:
Nothing stood out more than his raw power, which has legitimate 80-grade potential based on multiple exit velocity readings beyond 110 mph, thanks mostly to swinging at the right pitches. The obvious comparison -- one that he's publicly made himself -- is to fellow Cuba native Yordan Alvarez. Both trained with famed hitting instructor Aldo Marrero as amateurs.
The comparisons to Alvarez will certainly stick out to Mariners fans, as Alvarez is an All-Star who has tormented Seattle for years.
The Mariners will finish out their weekend series with the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. PT.
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