CLEARWATER, Fla. — If the detractors’ bleak picture were to be believed, Jesus Montero would be so bad behind the plate he’d even wear his shin guards wrong.
“Too big” was one reason talent evaluators figured the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Montero would eventually have to give up catching.
Others said the body was stiff.
Finally, he didn’t pay enough attention to anything but a powerful bat.
Yet, from the first drills of spring, Montero looks comfortable catching — and might move past Francisco Cervelli to become Russell Martin’s backup.
“It makes me work harder every day,” Montero said of his detractors. “I want to be behind the plate.”
Yesterday, in a 7-3 Yankees victory over the Phillies at Bright House Field, Montero caught Dellin Betances. They have been together four years in the minors and represent the future of the Yankees.
“He keeps getting better and better back there,” Betances said. “I trust him back there.”
But if 21-year-old Montero makes the team, will CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett trust him?
“I am trying to get better every single day with the coaches,” said Montero, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
“I am getting better with everything — catching, hitting and calling a game. I come to the game trying to win.”
Martin, who missed the first two games and isn’t expected to catch today against the Tigers as he puts the final touches on recovering from knee surgery, was given $4 million on a one-year deal to be the regular catcher.
That leaves Austin Romine, Cervelli and Montero to fight for the back-up spot, with longtime catcher Jorge Posada moving to DH.
“He looked good to me,” manager Joe Girardi said of Montero.
“He looked comfortable and did a good job with everything he did today.”
There is little question inside and out of the Yankees’ organization that Montero will hit major-league pitching.
If he can catch, too, there is a chance Montero could make the team and start the countdown to the day he becomes the regular.