Remembering Jesús Montero and His Journey As A Professional Baseball Player

Jesús Montero was a promising baseball player in the MLB. The Venezuelan athlete died this weekend at 35 years old following a tragic accident while riding his motorcycle. He was riding his motorcycle when he collided with a pickup truck and stayed in an induced coma from Oct. 4 until his death on Oct. 19. Montero enjoyed multiple years playing baseball at its highest level. Here is a look back at his career playing baseball.

Jesús Montero was one of the most promising baseball prospects

Jesús Montero broke into the MLB at 16 years old. The New York Yankees signed him in 2006. The next year, at age 17, he began his Minor League Baseball career with the Gulf Coast Yankees. He spent years playing in the minor leagues under the guidance of the New York Yankees.

In September 2011, Montero made his debut in the major leagues as a designated hitter. He made history during his second game with the New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. During that game, he became the second 21-year-old rookie to get two home runs in one game. This was the first time since 1993, further proving Montero’s prowess on the field.

He became a starting catcher for the New York Yankees on September 11, 2011. The game was against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He ended the first year in the major leagues with a batting average of .328. The New York Yankees traded him to the Seattle Mariners for the next season. However, he failed to deliver as he had with the Yankees, with a lower batting average.

After the 2012 season with the Seattle Mariners, he was demoted to the Tacoma Rainiers for the 2013 season. His batting average had continued to decline, a departure from his earlier time in the sport.

Montero’s career suffered from a doping scandal

In 2013, after he tore his meniscus and underwent surgery, investigators linked Montero to the Biogenesis scandal. The Miami New Times exposed Biogenesis of America, a Florida health clinic, for supplying athletes with performance-enhancing drugs. Montero was one of several MLB players, including Alex Rodriguez, who accepted a 50-game suspension as a punishment for doping.

After accepting the suspension, he played in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. A hand injury from a car accident ended his season in Venezuela. He returned to the MLB with the Seattle Mariners in 2014, and his stats began to improve before slumping again. He was once again sent to play for the Tacoma Rainiers and once again started to improve his performance.

His final major league appearance was on Oct. 3, 2015, with the Seattle Mariners. After that season, the Seattle Mariners designated him for assignment. The Toronto Blue Jays then signed him, and he went on to play for their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons. During the 2015 season, he once again proved his talent. However, he received another 50-game suspension due to a new doping allegation.

Montero’s career never really recovered after his second suspension

In 2017, the Baltimore Orioles offered Jesús Montero a minor league contract after he served his second suspension, but they released him halfway through the season. He soon signed with the Sultanes de Monterrey and played with them for the rest of the year, but the team released him before the 2018 season. In February 2018, the Generales de Durango signed him, but they released him in April, ending his time in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol.

At this point, Montero made his way back to Venezuela and played for two different teams in the Venezuelan Winter League in 2018-2019. He then played for the Águilas del Zulia from 2019-2021. There isn’t a lot of information publicly available about his life after leaving professional baseball in 2021 after his time playing in Venezuela.

Our condolences are with his friends and family during this time. Rest in peace, Jesús Montero.