The Rays have agreed to a minor league contract with infielder Coco Montes, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The deal comes with an invitation to spring training. Montes last played for the Yomiuri Giants of NPB. He is a client of O’Connell Sports Management.
Selected by the Rockies late in the 2018 draft, Montes worked his way up through Colorado’s farm system. Though he was never a highly-rated prospect, he produced above-average offensive numbers every season in the minors while splitting his time between second base, third base, and shortstop. Amidst a strong 2023 season at Triple-A Albuquerque (.317/.400/.550, 128 wRC+), Montes earned his first promotion to the majors. However, his minor league success failed to translate to the MLB level. He went 7-for-38 (.184) with a 38 wRC+. To add insult to injury, he managed to accumulate -3 Outs Above Average in a minuscule 93-inning sample size at second base. He was designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A in September.
Montes earned an invitation to big league spring training in 2024, but he failed to make the team out of camp. Undeterred, he continued hitting well at Triple-A in 2024. In fact, it was arguably the best season of his career. In 297 trips to the plate, he slashed .335/.414/.551, good for a 140 wRC+. Yet, the Rockies never gave him another chance to test his righty bat in Colorado. Rather, they granted him his release in June, allowing him to sign with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.
In 46 games with the Giants, Montes slashed .272/.308/.391 with a .699 OPS. That might not seem as impressive as his Triple-A slash lines, but keep in mind that he was playing in a completely different offensive environment. Indeed, Montes outperformed the Central League averages in all three triple-slash categories. His 13.2% strikeout rate was also much better than the 18.8% league average. That low strikeout rate helped him produce above-average offensive numbers despite drawing just seven walks and hitting only one home run.
Now entering his age-28 season, Montes will look to make his way back to MLB with the Rays. His defensive versatility is his main asset; Topkin suggests he could cover left field in addition to playing all around the infield. If the Rays can help him translate some of his offensive success from Triple-A and NPB to the majors, even better.
Topkin also points out that Montes will have opportunities to opt out of his contract if he does not make the big league roster. In addition, he will have the choice to elect free agency at the end of the 2025 season.
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