When a prospect puts on a show like this, you can't help but sit up and take notice. Lazaro Montes, the Mariners' No. 6 ranked prospect, delivered a jaw-dropping performance on Saturday afternoon that will have baseball fans buzzing for weeks.
Facing the Wichita Wind Surge, Montes went 3-for-5 at the plate with three home runs and a walk. But it wasn't just the numbers that stood out—it was the sheer power behind each swing. He drove in eight of the Arkansas Travelers' 16 runs in a dominant 16-6 victory, single-handedly changing the game's momentum.
Montes' first homer of the day was an absolute rocket: a 118 mph laser over the right-field wall. To put that in perspective, that exit velocity would rank as the second-hardest hit ball in the entire MLB this season, trailing only Pirates star Oneil Cruz's 119 mph blast against the Nationals. That's the kind of raw, unteachable power that makes scouts drool.
His second home run came on a mistake pitch—a hanging slider that Montes turned into a no-doubter, just inside the foul pole. It was his second three-run homer in as many at-bats, showing he can punish even the smallest errors from opposing pitchers.
The third homer might have been the most impressive of all. With a swing that looked almost casual, Montes sent a ball soaring over the right-field wall that initially seemed like a routine flyout. But the ball just kept carrying, a testament to the ridiculous pop in his bat.
This performance is even more remarkable considering Montes' slow start to the season. Entering this week's series, his OPS sat at .686. After just five games, he has skyrocketed that number to .900—a jump of over 200 points. He has tallied five home runs, a triple, and four walks in that span, embracing the "three true outcomes" approach that has served him so well in the past.
While Montes may not make contact on every swing, his disciplined eye at the plate helps offset a higher strikeout rate. And when he does connect, as we saw on Saturday, the results are simply devastating. There are very few hitters in the minor leagues who can punish a mistake like Lazaro Montes. With plenty of development still ahead, seeing him bounce back from a rocky start is an incredibly encouraging sign for what's to come.