1. Jesus Montero, c Born: Nov. 28, 1989 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 235 Signed: Venezuela '06. Signed by: Carlos Rios/Ricardo Finol Background: Montero should be ready for the New York spotlight, because few prospects have received such scrutiny in the minor leagues. It started as soon as he signed out of Venezuela in 2006 for $2 million. His bonus later was reduced to $1.65 million, and the scout who signed him, Carlos Rios, was fired for receiving kickbacks on international deals. Montero rifled through the lower levels of the minor leagues and spent just 44 games at Double-A Trenton before spending the last two seasons at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Scouts thought he looked bored in 2011 before his first callup to the majors. He sizzled in September, slugging two homers against the Orioles in his fourth game and earning a spot on New York's postseason roster. Scouting Report: No organization has produced offensive catchers like the Yankees, who have suited up the likes of Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson and Jorge Posada. Club officials admit they prioritize hitting ability in their catchers more than most organizations do. Montero fits New York's profile—as do fellow farmhands such as Gary Sanchez, J.R. Murphy and Greg Bird. One of the more accomplished righthanded hitting prospects to come around in years, Montero combines hand-eye coordination with an innate ability to get the fat part of the bat on the ball. He can square up pitches all over the strike zone, and while he's not a walk machine, he has gained a better feel for the strike zone with experience. His front-foot swing isn't for everyone, but his tremendous strength makes it work and he projects to hit .290-.300 with well above-average power. His natural swing path produces excellent pop to the opposite field, and he should be able to exploit the dimensions at Yankee Stadium. Defensively, Montero continues to work hard to overcome his huge frame, and his offensive production makes him more palatable behind the plate. Despite plenty of attention from catching coordinator Julio Mosquera, Montero never will grade better than below-average as a receiver. New York believes that will be acceptable, citing Posada's career. Montero did cut his passed balls from 15 in 2010 to seven last season, when his .997 fielding percentage led International League backstops. Despite solid arm strength, he threw out just 21 percent of the 93 basestealers who tested him in 2011. His long throwing stroke costs him consistency and accuracy. He's a well below-average runner who's prone to hitting into double plays. The Future: According to the Yankees, Montero ended the season at 224 pounds and 13 percent body fat, a sign he's ready for the grind of the big leagues physically. His righthanded power fits well into a New York lineup that overly relies on the aging Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez from that side of the plate. Montero is ready to catch 50 or so games a year while also getting regular at-bats at DH. If the Yankees need him to catch more than that, his defense probably would be too much of a liability. He should get 400-500 big league plate appearances in 2012 and eventually follow Robinson Cano as New York's next homegrown all-star position player. Year Team AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG '07 Yankees (R) 107 13 30 6 0 3 19 12 18 .280 .366 .421 '08 Charleston, SC (LoA) 525 86 171 34 1 17 87 37 83 .326 .376 .491 '09 Tampa (HiA) 180 26 64 15 1 8 37 14 26 .356 .406 .583 '09 Trenton (AA) 167 19 53 10 0 9 33 14 21 .317 .370 .539 '10 Scranton/W-B (AAA) 453 66 131 34 3 21 75 46 91 .289 .353 .517 '11 Scranton/W-B (AAA) 420 52 121 19 1 18 67 36 98 .288 .348 .467 '11 New York (MAJ) 61 9 20 4 0 4 12 7 17 .328 .406 .590 Major League Totals 61 9 20 4 0 4 12 7 17 .328 .406 .590 Minor League Totals 1852 262 570 118 6 76 318 159 337 .308 .366 .501 --

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