Jesus Montero, Catcher

Jesus Montero is arguably the best prospect in the New York Yankees system as of 04/07/2009. Montero boasts big-league power, rating an 80 out of 80 in terms of power according to most scouting reports. Signed out of Venezuela in late 2006 at the age of sixteen, he has done well at each level so far, show casing his tremendous natural ability on the professional stage.

Montero began his professional career with a short stint in the gulf coast league playing for the GCL Yankees. With a little more than a month's worth of games and 123 plate appearances, he hit a sound .280 accompanied by 3 home runs, 6 doubles, and 19 runs batted in.

When looking at minor-league stats, glancing over the counting numbers like home runs and stolen bases isn't very telling. With less at bats and unusual circumstances, a less talented player can hit 50 home runs at the Class AAA level and do nothing in the major-leagues, whereas another player, like Montero, can hit 3 in High Class A and be considered a future home run champion. One of the statistics that scouts drool over is on base percentage. A player who can take walks and get on base in the early stages shows a player with plate discipline. Power can be developed in the gym and speed can be developed on the tread mill. Improving a player's read on the ball and his willingness to look at pitches is far more difficult, as it is a psycological and mental aspect of the game that few coaches can teach.

In 2008, the Yankees promoted Montero to Low Class A Charleston. In his first full professional season, Montero proved all of the scouts right by posting a remarkable .326/.376/.491 batting line. In 132 games and 569 appearances, he blasted 17 dingers, accompanied by 87 RBI, 34 doubles, and even a single triple and stolen base. And while the counting numbers don't tell the whole story, they certainly don't hurt. Montero should only build on this success in 2009, likely hitting clean-up for the Tampa Yankees.

Jesus Montero could be the New York Yankees starting catcher by 2011, when the veteran backstop Jorge Posada's contract expires. There are concerns that Montero will outgrow the position, but for now, the scouts feel he has the ability to remain a member of the battery. As the season progresses, I will make regular updates regarding his defensive aptitude.