Mariners promoting top prospect Lazaro Montes to Triple-A Tacoma

Update: The Seattle Mariners announced Monday morning that Lazaro Montes and fellow top prospect Michael Arroyo have been promoted from Double-A Arkansas to Triple-A Tacoma.

One of the Seattle Mariners’ top prospects is reportedly returning to the Pacific Northwest, with baseball reporter Francys Romero posting Sunday night that outfielder Lazaro Montes has been promoted to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.

Seattle Mariners now have six of MLB Pipeline’s top 75 prospects

Montes has spent this season with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers. The lefty-swinging slugger is the No. 26 overall prospect and No. 3 prospect in the Mariners’ farm system as ranked by MLB Pipeline.

In 79 games this season, the 21-year-old Montes has slashed .234/.369/.550 for a .919 OPS with 25 home runs, 11 doubles, 66 RBIs, 67 runs and 54 walks to 103 strikeouts in the pitcher-friendly Texas League.

Montes got off to a slow start this season, as he was hitting just .211 through May. But he caught fire at the plate in June, slashing .299/.440/.759 for an 1.199 OPS with 12 homers in 25 games during the month.

Last year, Montes was named Northwest League Most Valuable Player after starring in 67 games for the High-A Everett AquaSox. He slashed .268/.387/.572 for a .959 OPS with 18 homers, 12 doubles, 50 RBIs, 43 runs and 48 walks to 83 strikeouts in 67 games for Everett. He ended the season in Double-A, playing 64 games for Arkansas.

The Mariners signed the 6-foot-5 Montes out of Havana, Cuba as an international free agent in 2022.

Montes will become the lone player with Tacoma ranked as a top 15 Mariners prospect by MLB Pipeline. Three of Seattle’s top four prospects – pitchers Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan, and second baseman/outfielder Michael Arroyo – remain in Double-A.

Montes could make his Rainiers debut as soon as Tuesday when the team begins a six-game road series against the Las Vegas Aviators. His first chance to play a home game at Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium will be Friday, July 17 against the Oklahoma City Comets.

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