Detroit Tigers Prospect Reports: Keider Montero

Keider Montero Scouting Report

Physical Description and Background: A rare international pitching prospect from the Tigers system with the chance to make an impact in the big leagues. Listed height (6’1) is fine, if perhaps an inch or two generous, but listed weight (145 lbs.) is comically outdated. Has filled out considerably, with sturdy thighs and good weight throughout his torso. Comfortably 180-195 now. Shows a good compete level and is learning how to limit damage when he doesn’t have his best stuff.

Fastball: 55

Sits 94-96 but will drop to 92 or jump to 98 depending on the outing. Relatively flat offering that gets hit hard if he doesn’t throw it at the upper end of his velocity band. 

Slider: 55

Spins the slider at 83-85 mph and around 2700- 2800 rpm, and shows some feel for using it as a chase pitch for righties or burying it at the back foot of lefties. When it’s on it’s an easy plus pitch, but too often it lacks snap and breaks right over the heart of the plate.

Curve: 55

It can be a bit hard to distinguish Montero’s curve from his slider because they both have the same slurvy, 11-5 break, but the curve tends to sit around 77-80 mph with 3000+ rpm. He’ll occasionally drop a curve in as slow as 73 mph, but mostly as a surprise strike-stealer. Works better in conjunction with the slider than it probably would on its own.

Changeup: 45

Montero has some feel for his changeup, consistently throwing it in the 84-86 mph range with pretty good armside run. But it doesn’t show much sink and he struggles to locate it low and away to lefties, so it tends to get hit hard. This is a pitch he recently has changed his grip on to get a better feel for (Rogelio)

Command: 45

Montero shows a clean operation and generally throws strikes, but all of his pitches tend to drift to the heart of the zone, where they get hit. There’s a rudimentary feel for working the edges, but it’s hard to know if that will ever be consistent enough to log starter innings at the big-league level.

Overall

Keider Montero’s future largely depends on his parent club’s appetite for development. He has a terrific arm and shows the pitch mix and strike-throwing ability to eventually develop into a number 4 starter in his mid-to-late 20s. On the other hand, if let loose in one-inning stints he could probably be a leverage reliever with an upper-90s fastball and two plus breaking balls in short order.