Mike Montgomery

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #15 prospect in 2013
  Signed for $988,000 as the 36th overall pick in 2008, Montgomery projected as the Royals' future ace for years. But after he struggled for two straight seasons in Triple-A and was even worse after a demotion to Double-A in mid-2012, Kansas City decided it couldn't wait any longer. The Royals included him in the four-prospect package that pried James Shields and Wade Davis from the Rays in December. At his best, Montgomery still shows a 92-93 fastball that touches 95 mph, along with a plus changeup. But as he tried to implement a lower arm slot last season, his fastball often dipped to 88-90 mph. Montgomery never has gotten comfortable with his erratic curveball, and he'll try to work on a slider and a cutter as he looks for something to reverse his surprising lack of a platoon advantage. Lefties were way too comfortable against him in 2012, posting a .993 OPS. Montgomery will return to Triple-A and try to regain the confidence and swagger.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #1 prospect in 2012
  In spring training last year, Montgomery made a strong push to make the Royals' Opening Day roster. In the end, Kansas City decided to send him to Omaha to give him some Triple-A experience, with the expectation that he would soon make the trek to the majors. He recorded a 2.45 ERA in his first six starts before struggles with his control and command caught up to him. He went 3-10, 6.11 in his final 22 outings and never got that callup. It was the first onfield hiccup for Montgomery, who quickly established himself as the Royals' best pitching prospect after signing for $988,000 as the 36th overall pick in the 2008 draft. He ranked No. 1 on this list before the 2010 season, when he was spectacular at high Class A Wilmington in April before straining his forearm. Montgomery sat out two months and hasn't missed a start since, though his control hasn't been as sharp. He averaged 2.6 walks per nine innings before he was sidelined and has averaged 3.9 afterward. As a 6-foot-5 lefthander who generates good downward plane, Montgomery can dominate when he maintains his delivery. He runs his fastball up to 95-96 mph on his best nights and sits at 92-93, overpowering hitters when he commands it. But he struggled to do so in 2011, which left him behind in too many counts. Though Montgomery did a good job of getting out on the front side of his delivery in spring training, he had trouble keeping his mechanics in sync once the season began. While he battled to control his fastball, Kansas City tried to get him to focus more on pitching up and down in the zone and worrying less about working in and out. Even when he struggled, Montgomery was able to locate his plus changeup. He throws the changeup with deceptive arm speed and nice fade, and he keeps it down in the zone. After four pro seasons, Montgomery still is seeking the right grip for his curveball. He tried a spike curveball in spring training and while it showed some promise, it also caused forearm discomfort. He shelved it in May and went back to a more traditional curve. That version is slower at 74-76 mph and has big break that often carries it out of the strike zone, and it also lacks consistency. He still has the palmball/curve he used in high school that he can use when he feels he has to throw a strike. Whichever breaking ball Montgomery throws, it's usually his third-best offering and shows only flashes of becoming a plus pitch. He's an intense competitor. Montgomery's 2011 struggles were disconcerting, but he also was a 22-year-old in the Pacific Coast League and sill has plenty of time to work out his delivery issues. The Royals aren't worried and scouts from other teams see no long-term hiccups. He still projects as a frontline starter and will head to spring training with an outside chance to make the big league club.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #5 prospect in 2011
  Signed for $988,000 as the 36th overall pick in the 2008 draft, Montgomery ranked No. 1 on this list a year ago. He missed nearly two months with a strained forearm in 2010, but he returned in mid-July and was healthy down the stretch, pitching with Team USA (he won two starts in the Pan Am qualifier) and in the Arizona Fall League where he started in the Rising Stars Game. On his best nights, Montgomery features a plus-plus fastball to go with an above-average curveball and changeup. He generates excellent angle with his fastball while running it up to 95-96 mph, more often sitting at 91-93. He has junked his high school palmball/curve and developed a more traditional, big-breaking 74-76 mph bender. He's still learning how to locate his curve for strikes. His changeup has some late fade, and his ability to throw it with excellent arm speed and keep it down in the zone makes it a plus pitch. His mechanics are solid, so his health isn't a major concern going forward. The forearm injury slowed Montgomery's ascent, but he's still not far away from Kansas City. He'll return to Double-A to start 2011, but he's yet another blue-chip prospect who could debut with the Royals later in the year.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #1 prospect in 2010
  The Royals knew they were getting a fierce competitor when they drafted Montgomery 36th overall in 2008 and signed him for a slot $988,000 bonus. He had been kicked off his high school basketball team as a senior for picking up too many technical fouls. They saw it up close during spring training last year, when they tried to limit his long-toss program. He balked, saying long-tossing was vital to keeping up his arm strength. They agreed to compromise, allowing Montgomery to throw at a longer distance than they usually prescribe for young pitchers, but with less frequency than he was used to. He wanted to long-toss because he believed it could help his fastball jump to the 95-97 mph range, while Kansas City already was happy with his heater and didn't want him to risk injury by throwing too much. The Royals are happy to live with Montgomery's drive because he carries it to the mound. They held him out of the April chill at low Class A Burlington, Iowa, but once got into games in mid-May, he blazed through two levels, allowing more than three earned runs only once in 21 starts. For a 20-year-old lefty, Montgomery is close to a complete package. His fastball is already a plus pitch that sits at 90-92 mph and touches 94-95. Considering his lanky frame, there's a good chance he'll add velocity as he fills out. When his fastball was on last year, he buzzed through lineups even when he was struggling to control his offspeed pitches. When he located his curveballs, he was untouchable. He throws two different types, a traditional downer that he's still mastering and a palm-curve that he's been throwing for years. While some scouts question how effective the palm-curve will be at higher levels, Class A hitters struggled to pick it up and took lots of ugly swings. The true curveball has the potential to be more effective in the long term. When he gets on top of it, it grades as slightly above-average. His changeup shows flashes of being a plus pitch that some scouts believe has more potential than his curveball. Montgomery's mechanics are solid. He shows the ability to repeat his delivery and has excellent arm speed. The Royals want Montgomery to develop the regular curveball, but when he's struggling he falls back on the palm version. They've considered asking him to completely shelve his palm-curve, at least temporarily, to hasten the development of his other pitches. He won't consistently succeed at the upper levels until he becomes more consistent with his changeup and curve. He throws strikes but still needs to sharpen his command. Montgomery is the best of Kansas City's deep crop of young pitchers, among whom rests the franchise's hope to return to contention. He lived up to all of the Royals' expectations in his first full pro season and could open 2010 at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He could be ready for the big leagues by mid-2011 and won't be satisfied just to get there.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #4 prospect in 2009
  Montgomery was leading his high school basketball team in scoring when his coach kicked him off the team in January for recording too many technical fouls. That gave him a chance to focus on pitching, which paid off as he showed improved velocity and an advanced approach. Signed for $988,000 as the 36th overall pick, he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Rookie-level Arizona League. Montgomery's long arms and athletic frame should allow him to continue to add 20-30 pounds and more velocity. He already sits at 90-92 mph and touches 95 with nice life on his fastball. He pairs it with a unique palm curveball that he developed because it puts little stress on his arm. His 80-mph changeup already rates as average and has the potential to be an out pitch. As his basketball career showed, he's an intense competitor. Montgomery can spin a breaking ball, but the Royals want him to find a more conventional grip and he has yet to find one that he's comfortable with. Other than that, he's very polished for his age and just needs more innings to develop. Montgomery is advanced enough to head to low Class A, though he may spend time in extended spring to avoid the April chill of the Midwest League. He has the potential to become the franchise's best lefthander since Danny Jackson.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #7 prospect in 2011
  Montgomery carved up hitters in the lower minors, but his control and command haven't been the same since he strained his forearm in April 2010. He posted a 2.45 ERA in his first six outings for Omaha and lacked consistency thereafter, turning in consecutive quality starts just once the rest of the way. There's nothing wrong with Montgomery's stuff. He has a clean delivery and a fastball that ranges from 87-95 mph. His plus curveball is his best pure pitch, and he also has a changeup with some late fade. The knock against Montgomery is his struggle to locate his pitches where he wants. He falls behind in too many counts, giving up walks and getting hit when he leaves his pitches up in the zone. His curveball breaks so much that he can't always throw it for strikes, and more advanced hitters don't chase it as often as younger ones did.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #5 prospect in 2010
  Few highly rated pitchers are sent to the AFL but Montgomery, 21, was making up for time lost to a sore elbow during the 2010 regular season that limited him to 20 starts plus two games with Team USA in the Pan Am qualifying tourney. He made three more starts in the AFL, plus a two-inning stint in the league's Rising Stars game, before shutting it down for the year. His fastball was generally in the 91-95 range with a downhill plane, and he used a sharp breaking curveball and solid changeup. While his overall numbers weren't anything special (6.10 ERA, .310 OBA), he struck out 11 and walked just two.
• 
  Ranked Texas League #3 prospect in 2010
  Montgomery spent April in high Class A and was one of the best pitchers in the minors for the first two months of the season, but he came down with elbow soreness in June and was used cautiously the rest of the year. While tests found no damage, he didn't return until August, when he was much less effective. At his best, Montgomery offers a dominating package, with a tall, athletic frame and a plus fastball that touches 95 mph with good movement and downhill angle. He has worked with a variety of curveballs, and his changeup shows flashes but is still developing. Scouts and managers would like to see Montgomery show better command, but they worry more about his health and his makeup. He has his own pitching coach and has clashed with the Royals over his throwing program.
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #7 prospect in 2009
  Montgomery began his first full pro season in the low Class A Midwest League, then earned a promotion to Wilmington in late July. He pitched up in the zone a lot with his fastball and had trouble locating his offspeed pitches when he first arrived in Wilmington, but he improved in his last few outings, highlighted by a 6 2/3 shutout-inning performance in his penultimate start, in which he allowed one hit, no walks and struck out 12. Montgomery pitches at 89-92 mph with his fastball, a four-seamer that touches 94. He began mixing in his offspeed pitches more often as the season progressed, though scouts are mixed on whether his curveball or changeup is better. His curve is a hard downer with good spin and rates as a potential 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale, though he has to get on top of it and command it more. Some scouts project his changeup as a future plus pitch, and he also throws a funky palmball. For a tall, lanky 20-year-old in his first full season, Montgomery has a good delivery without too many moving parts. He repeats his mechanics well and has good arm action. "You look at his age, his projectability, his presence--it all aligns," an AL scout said. "He's going to be an above-average major league starter."
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #5 prospect in 2009
  Protecting Montgomery's arm from the early-season chill in the MWL, the Royals didn't send him to Burlington until mid-May. Once he got there, he couldn't be held back, allowing more than one earned run in just two of his 12 starts and pitching even better following a promotion to high Class A. "He's one of the best pitching prospects I've ever seen," said Burlington manager Jim Gabella, who has scouted and managed for 25 years. "He has all the stuff a frontline starting pitcher needs, and his makeup is off the charts." Montgomery's fastball already sits at 90-92 mph with room for a lot of projection, and it looks quicker because there's little effort in his delivery. He also throws a potential plus changeup, a hard downer curveball that he needs to stay on top of more often, and a palmball. He'll rush to the majors once he gets more consistent with his secondary pitches and his command.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #1 prospect in 2008
  After signing Montgomery for $988,000 as a supplemental first-round pick, the Royals assigned him to the AZL to work with former Cy Young Award winner Mark Davis, one of two pitching coaches on their Rookie league club. Montgomery showed plenty of polish while being kept on tight pitch counts. His mechanics and feel for pitching are advanced for a pitcher fresh out of high school. Not only can he challenge hitters with a low-90s fastball, but he also can throw them off balance with a deceptive changeup. He should add more velocity as he fills out his slender 6-foot-4, 180-pound frame. His primary breaking ball was a palmball, but his coaches worked with him all summer on a curveball. The curve was still a work in progress at the end of the season, though he was becoming more consistent with it.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #23 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #19 prospect in 2011
• Ranked Baseball America's #39 prospect in 2010

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: In spring training last year, Montgomery made a strong push to make the Royals' Opening Day roster. In the end, Kansas City decided to send him to Omaha to give him Triple-A experience, with the expectation that he'd soon make the trek to the majors. He recorded a 2.45 ERA in his first six starts before struggles with his control and command caught up to him. He went 3-10, 6.12 with a gaudy 1.56 WHIP in his final 22 outings and never got that callup. It was the first on-field hiccup for Montgomery, who quickly established himself as the Royals' best pitching prospect after signing for $988,000 as the 36th overall pick in the 2008 draft. He ranked No. 1 on this list prior to the 2010 season, when he was spectacular at high Class A Wilmington in April before straining his forearm. Montgomery sat out two months and hasn't missed a start since, though his control hasn't been as sharp. He averaged 2.6 walks per nine innings before being sidelined, compared to a rate of 3.9 afterward. Scouting Report: As a 6-foot-5 lefthander who generates good downward plane, Montgomery can dominate when he maintains his delivery. He runs his fastball up to 95-96 mph on his best nights and sits at 92-93, overpowering hitters when he commands it. But he struggled to do that in 2011, which left him behind in too many counts. Though Montgomery did a good job of getting out on the front side of his delivery in spring training, he had trouble keeping his mechanics in sync once the season began. While he battled to control his fastball, Kansas City tried to get him to focus more on pitching up and down in the zone and worrying less about working in and out. Even when he struggled, Montgomery was able to locate his plus changeup. He throws the changeup with deceptive arm speed and nice fade, and he keeps it down in the zone. After four pro seasons, Montgomery still is seeking the right grip for his curveball. He tried a spike curveball in spring training and while it showed some promise, it also caused forearm discomfort. He shelved it in May and went back to a more traditional curve. That version is slower at 74-76 mph and has big break that often carries it out of the strike zone. Montgomery still has the palmball/curve he used in high school that he can use when he feels he has to throw a strike. Whichever breaking ball Montgomery throws, it's usually his third-best offering and shows only flashes of becoming a plus pitch. On some days he can generate strikeouts with it, but more often than not, he lacks the confidence he has in his other two offerings. He's an intense competitor who was kicked off his high school basketball team for too many technical fouls. The Future: Montgomery's 2011 struggles were disconcerting, but he also was a 22-year-old in the Pacific Coast League. He sill has plenty of time to work out his delivery issues. The Royals aren't worried, and scouts from other teams see no long-term hiccups. He still projects as a frontline starter and will head to spring training with an outside chance to make the big league club. Even if he heads back to Triple-A to begin the season, he is likely to be in Kansas City at some point during the 2012 season and projects as a rotation anchor for years to come.
• August, 2010 Scouting Report
  Few highly rated pitchers are sent to the AFL but Montgomery, 21, was making up for time lost to a sore elbow during the 2010 regular season that limited him to 20 starts plus two games with Team USA in the Pan Am qualifying tourney. He made three more starts in the AFL, plus a two-inning stint in the league's Rising Stars game, before shutting it down for the year. His fastball was generally in the 91-95 range with a downhill plane, and he used a sharp breaking curveball and solid changeup. While his overall numbers weren't anything special (6.10 ERA, .310 OBA), he struck out 11 and walked just two.