Mark Montgomery has made pitching in pro ball look easy.
Montgomery, a 5-foot-11 right-hander from Longwood University, has done nothing but dominate all comers since the Yankees selected him in the 11th round of last year’s First-Year Player Draft, earning himself a promotion to Double-A Trenton earlier this week.
Montgomery, who has yet to allow a professional home run, had immediate success last season after signing with the Yankees, splitting his year between short-season Staten Island and Low-A Charleston. He didn’t record a decision, but finished with a 1.91 ERA and 15 saves in 28 ¹/₃ innings across 26 appearances with 51 strikeouts and just 13 walks.
After his stellar 2011 season, Montgomery proceeded to mow through the competition this year with High-A Tampa. Through 40 ¹/₃ innings in 31 appearances, Montgomery went 4-1 with a sparkling 1.34 ERA and 14 saves. He allowed just 23 hits, striking out 61 while walking just 16 and earned himself an invite to the Florida State League All-Star Game.
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While Montgomery is headed to Trenton hoping to replicate his previous success, 6-foot-8 right-hander Dellin Betances is finding his groove there after struggling with his command for the first half of the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Betances is 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA through four starts with Trenton, allowing 13 runs (eight earned) in 24 ²/₃ innings. More importantly, Betances has managed to cut his walk rate dramatically from where it was in Triple-A. Betances has struck out 25 and walked eight with Trenton, compared to striking out 71 and walking 69 in 74 ²/₃ innings in 16 starts before being demoted.
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Gary Sanchez, one of the highest-rated prospects in the Yankees system, has struggled to adjust to the Florida State League.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound catcher is hitting .195 (9-for-47) with 15 strikeouts through 13 games with Tampa, though he does have two home runs and three doubles.
Sanchez, 19, mashed for Low-A Charleston through the first half of the season, hitting .297 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs and making the South Atlantic League’s All-Star Game.
His teammate, outfielder Mason Williams, has fared better since making the leap with Sanchez. Williams is hitting .265 with two homers and six RBIs through 16 games with Tampa, after he, too, earned a trip to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game after hitting .304 with eight homers, 28 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 69 games for Charleston.