Jesus Montero has spent the past two years bashing pitchers from Low-A to Double-A as he became the Yankees’ top prospect, as well as one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
But the 20-year-old catcher from Venezuela found himself benched by Triple-A Scranton / Wilkes-Barre manager Dave Miley for much of the final three games of the team’s weekend road trip to Durham.
Montero was pulled following the second inning of SWB’s game against the Durham Bulls Friday night in what was termed a “coach’s decision,” presumably after he failed to run out a grounder in the top half of the inning. He was then held out of the lineup Saturday and Sunday, also because of a “coach’s decision.”
YANKEES, RED SOX GOING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
“It’s typical stuff you handle and deal with,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said of Montero’s benching. “He’s healthy and ready to go.”
Montero was in the starting lineup and went 0-for-4 in last night’s 10-2 loss at home to Columbus.
Montero, who was ranked as the fourth-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America at the beginning of the season, is hitting .234 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 25 games with Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
Last year, he hit a combined .337 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs in 92 games between High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton before missing the final six weeks of the season with a fractured middle finger on his left hand.