Mariners prospect #11 - Lazaro Montes
Cuban slugger draws Yordan Alvarez comps in monumental 2023 season.
By Trevor Pedro

Colt Emerson, Michael Arroyo, Cole Young, and Harry Ford have much in common. They are all high-end hitting prospects in the Mariners' farm system at the High-A level and below. Lazaro Montes, our 11th-ranked prospect, one of the most potent bats in the system, is right there with them.
The Cuban-born slugger joined the Mariners during the 2021-22 international signing period, with most scouts latching onto his power potential (60-grade). His Dominican Summer League performance offered fans a tantalizing but small sample size (.284/.422/1.007) with 28 extra-base hits in 55 games. However, the strikeouts were an issue (33.2%) during that season.
2023 was a genuine step forward for Montes, as he took the Arizona Complex League by storm (.282/.452/1.007) and used that performance to climb the organizational ladder at midseason. The 19-year-old provided a significant power presence for the Modesto Nuts (35 extra-base hits) and continued to squash the strikeouts (54 BB - 76 SO). This performance across two levels shows Montes' commitment to the team's "dominate the zone" mantra and his maturity in a league filled with peers often three to four years older.
"Man, is this kid fun to watch."
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 21, 2023
No. 12 @Mariners prospect Lazaro Montes crushes his fourth homer in the past five games for the @ModestoNuts: pic.twitter.com/NPJ6fRkzLS
Scouts have always compared the 6'7" 226-pound outfielder to another fellow Cuban, Yordan Alvarez. However, there might be more upside in there as Montes has an above-average arm in right field (50-grade), which he showed off routinely in Modesto this season. If he can continue to hone his routes and flash the arm, we could see a significant jump in the Major League Baseball Pipeline ratings. Top 100, anyone?
Look for the Mariners to continue aggressively promoting Montes with a starting spot in Everett (High-A) in the card for 2024. If he continues to cut down on the strikeouts, walk a bit, and hit the ball with authority, we could see Baby Yordan in Arkansas at the season's end.