MM's Top 25- #6 RHP Rafael Montero

A poll of our Mack Mets writers was conducted to compile a site wide Mets Organizational Top 25 Prospects. All statistical information is provided by Baseball-Reference.com. Scouting reports may include information from outside sources such as Baseball America.

A full listing of our Top 25 Prospects is on the right hand side of our website.Without further ado....The Mack's Mets #6 organizational prospect is......




#6 RHP Rafael (Quezada) Montero
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 170 lb
Acquired: 2011 international signing, Dominican Republic

2012: (A/A+) 11-5, 2.36 ERA, 8.1 K/9, 1.4 BB/9, 0.943 WHIP
2011: (R/SS-A) 5-4, 2.15 ERA, 1 SV, 8.4 K/9, 1.6 BB/9, 0.958 WHIP

Generally starting pitchers who can keep their WHIP rates below 1 are having stellar seasons. Also generally as a prospect progresses, he should see dips in his sabermetric rates. However for Montero the opposite is true. After only 4 starts in the Mets DSL team where he only gave up 7 hits total and struck out 20 while walking none, the team brought him stateside to the Kingsport team where he had a so-so performance in 4 more starts (1.353 WHIP). From there it was all improvement, he performed incredibly in the GCL (1.097 WHIP) and then went on to make 2 relief appearances with Brooklyn (0.800 WHIP).

General knowledge would've said to start him Brooklyn the next season but with the team's elimination of the GCL team some prospects, including Montero, were given more aggressive assignments. Montero did not falter as he won half of his starts and kept runners off the basepaths to a tune of a 0.943 WHIP which earned him a promotion to Port St. Lucie. There he once again improved raising his K rate while dropping his ERA and his WHIP (0.908).

Despite his performances so far, Montero still has plenty of projection. At only 170 lbs, he should continue to add some more velocity to his low 90's fastball which will in turn help his slider and his already plus change-up. He already knows "how to pitch" showing the ability to throw any of his pitches at any time in any situation anywhere in the zone. He has also draw many comparisons to Pedro Martinez due to his short stature and comparable motion and arsenal.

Anticipated Assignment: (AA) Binghamton starting rotation