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TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Lazaro Montes #33 of the Arkansas Travelers stands on deck during a game against the Tulsa Drillers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are very few hitters in the minor leagues more fearsome than Lazaro Montes right now.
The Mariners #6 ranked prospect, Montes posted one of the finest statlines of his young career in Saturday afternoon’s contest against the Wichita Wind Surge. Ending the game 3-5 with 3 homers and a walk, Montes batted home half of the 16 runs the Travs scored on the day and has been unconscious at the plate as of late.
His first homer of the game, a 118 mph laser over the right field wall, would be the second-hardest hit ball in the majors this season, trailing only Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz’s 119 mph mark he posted against the Nationals. It’s unreal power that you just can’t teach.
Montes capitalized on a mistake pitch for his second of the day, taking a cement mixer of a slider and rocketing it just inside the foul pole.
His third homer shows off just how silly his power is. A rather tame swing that looks like a surefire flyout continues to carry until it’s over the rightfield wall. Ridiculous pop.
Montes entered this week’s series with a season OPS of .686, a number reflective of his slow start to the season offensively. As of writing, he’s raised that number up over 200 points in just five games and now sits at a season mark of .900. He’s tallied five homers, a triple, and four walks on the week, epitomizing the “TTO” approach at the plate that’s served him so well in the past. He may not make a ton of contact, but his disciplined eye is enough to help offset his high K% and the power plays more than enough in-game. There’s just not many people that can punish a mistake like Lazaro Montes, and though there’s still plenty of development left ahead of him, to see him performing so well after his rocky start to the year is an amazing sign for what’s to come.
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