“I think he can handle (being a starter)," said Mets Director of Latin American Juan Henderson, who has worked with Montero in Boca Chica this winter. “He’s got the build and a few good pitches, plus he’s a strike thrower. I think he can handle it. And he’s got a big heart. He’s a competitor.”
Montero’s immediate inclusion is not a long shot because of an underwhelming résumé or skill set; the 23-year-old exceeded expectations in 2013 with Double-A Binghamton and, more noticeably, with Triple-A Las Vegas, where he posted a 3.05 ERA over 16 starts in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Montero finished the season with a 2.78 ERA, 1.1 WHIP, and 150 strikeouts to 35 walks in 155 1/3 innings between the two levels.
The campaign, which included starting for the World Team in the Futures Game, was so impressive that Mets officials did not demand that he work on anything specific on the mound his winter. Instead, Montero said, they requested he improve on his fielding and bunting.
http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2014/02/mets_prospect_rafael_monteros_goal_is_to_make_the_club_out_of_spring_training.html
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