Prospect Profile: Mike Montgomery

Mike Montgomery

Profile: RHP - 6'5" - 180lbs - BT:L - TH:L - 2011 Age: 22


Repertoire:

• FB 92-94: Uses frame well to get good plane, nice run generates ground balls (60-70)
• CV 75-77: Will hump the pitch sometimes, but gets big movement. Shaky command. (40-50)
• CH 80-82: Very deceptive arm action, decent fade, good differential. (55-65)

An Early Look At The Royals Bullpen

Almost every team heads into a season with one or two bullpen positions up for grabs, and in the Royals case, that number is probably closer to four. The teams used a total of 19 relievers in 2010, and racked up the worst bullpen ERA in the American League last year. In short, the unit was a disaster.

Obviously the bullpen will be anchored by Joakim Soria who is one of baseballs five best - and probably it's most unheralded - closers. Setting him up will be Robinson Tejada, a solid if unspectacular middle reliever with swing and miss stuff and control issues. Also likely to be in the bullpen is Blake Wood who had a solid showing in his rookie campaign last year and profiles as a ground ball, pitch to contact middle reliever.

Mike Montgomery Coming On Fast For KC

Last week the Royals decided to promote top left-handed pitching prospect Mike Montgomery after watching him obliterate A-Ball hitters for four starts.

In 24.2 innings of work, Montgomery allowed just 14 hits, and 4 walks while punching out an absurd 33 batters. Tonight, he'll make his debut at AA pitching for Arkansas. Should things go as well in AA - or anything close to as well - as they did in A ball, Montgomery will put himself in prime position for a rotation spot with the big club sometime during 2011.

All of that of course depends on how Montgomery performs.


At 6'5" 180lbs the lefty has the exact body scouts love, tall, and wide through the shoulders. His delivery is smooth and clean leaving little hint of impending injury. He works with a 92-94mph fastball that has good - not great - movement and should enable him to limit home runs.

While his primary off-speed offerings, a curve and change up had work to be done, it appears that he's done that work quickly. While Montgomery performed brilliantly last season, the improvement of those two pitches has taken him to another level.

At just 20 years old Montgomery has thrust himself into the debate for best left-handed pitching prospect in baseball. It'll be interesting to see how he performs at AA, and just how fast he can rise.