The Mariners are turning to one of their loudest bats for help, with multiple reports saying they are promoting outfield prospect Lazaro Montes from Triple-A Tacoma.
Francys Romero was first to report the move. Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports added that Montes is expected to join Seattle on Tuesday in Boston, when rosters expand to 28 players.
Montes, 21, arrives with serious power and plenty of buzz. MLB Pipeline has him ranked No. 56 overall and No. 5 in the Mariners’ system, and his left-handed swing has done damage all year.
He has already launched 38 homers this season, a career high that ranks second across all levels of the minors. Last year, he tied for third in the minors with 32.
Across 123 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season, Montes is hitting .249 with a .927 OPS, along with 24 doubles, one triple, 79 walks and 166 strikeouts. Since his July 7 move to Triple-A, the 6-foot-5 outfielder has posted a .247 average with a .940 OPS in 44 games, piling up 13 homers, 13 doubles, 25 walks and 63 strikeouts. He also leads the Pacific Coast League with 10 homers in August.
The strikeouts are part of the package. Montes has struck out in 30.4% of his plate appearances this year, including a 31.3% rate in Triple-A.
Even so, the Mariners have seen more than just the bat. Drayer noted that the club “have also been pleased with the work he has put in on his defense.”
Montes has set a career high with 38 HR in the minors this year but the Mariners have also been pleased with the work he has put in on his defense.
- Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) August 31, 2026
There’s also a little more athleticism in his game than the raw power might suggest. The Havana, Cuba, native has 25 stolen bases in 495 career minor league games, and earlier this month he even turned in an inside-the-park home run for Tacoma.
Seattle is bringing him up at a time when it badly needs offense. The Mariners were held to one hit in Sunday’s shutout loss to the Blue Jays, and they rank last in MLB with 530 runs scored. August has been especially rough, with Seattle scoring just 87 runs, the fewest in the majors.
The Mariners signed Montes as an international free agent in January 2022. MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 8 in the 2022 international class.
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