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Lazaro Montes (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
A quick glance at Mariners prospect Lazaro Montes is all it takes to see why the tall and powerful 20-year-old has earned comparisons to Yordan Álvarez.
But when you look at what he’s accomplished at the plate through his three professional seasons, it becomes clear that Montes is not just another promising talent—he’s a legitimate force in the making.
Montes, quite literally, crushed it at Low-A Modesto last season. He homered in 66 games in 2024, finishing as the California League MVP despite seeing a late promotion to High-A Everett. Overall, he slashed .288/.397/.484 across both Class-A levels with 21 home runs.
The Cuban slugger, who signed for $2.5 million as an international free agent in 2022, received the opportunity of a lifetime this spring when the Mariners invited him to their big league camp. There, Montes not only got to pick the brains of fellow members like Julio Rodríguez, Victor Robles and Randy Arozarena, but he also learned from past Mariners greats like Edgar Martínez and Ichiro Suzuki.
“It’s important to be consistent,” said Montes, a Top 100 Prospect who ranks seventh in the Seattle system. “In every game, every at-bat. I worked on making sure every day I was coming to the plate prepared and controlling everything that came my way. That was my biggest lesson.”
Montes’ profile is driven by his 70-grade power. Last season, he recorded a 104.8 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. He swings with full force every time, displaying a pronounced back shoulder tilt and an uphill plane that unmistakably signals his intention to launch balls into orbit.
“He has a plan at the plate,” said Zach Vincej, who managed Montes last year at Low-Modesto. “He has a great approach going up there, and he is so talented. He sticks to his plan, he’s able to pick good pitches to hit and he does a really good job at staying disciplined at the plate.
“That goes a long way for a hitter of his age.”
Vincej was spoiled with a talented group of prospects as the manager at Low-A Modesto in 2024. Colt Emerson, Michael Arroyo, Tai Peete and Jonny Farmelo were all featured in the lineup for the Nuts last year, which saw the team win its second consecutive California League championship.
Yet, amid all this talent, none blossomed quite like Montes, who was named the Mariners’ 2024 Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball…