Spring Breakout a showcase for Montes, Celesten
This browser does not support the video element.
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Each of the nearly 30 prospects that the Mariners are sending to the inaugural Spring Breakout are eager for the opportunity to suit up in the brand-new event that will pit them against the top Minor League talent in the Padres’ farm system on Friday.
But there might not be a pair in Seattle’s camp who are as excited as Lazaro Montes and Felnin Celesten, the club’s top international prospects by MLB Pipeline, ranked Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, within the system.
Montes never stops short of his lofty ambitions, making this an ideal event for the 19-year-old Cuba native. The 18-year-old Celesten, on the other hand, has yet to play in a pro game with comparable talent after spending all of last season recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each:
Lazaro Montes, OF
The backstory: He likens his game to Yordan Alvarez
The tools: 70/80-grade power
The personality: Infectious and fun
Montes has seen limited Cactus League action, yet he made a strong impression with a two-run triple on Wednesday. He’s coming off a year in which he slashed .303/.440/.560 (1.000 OPS) with 13 homers and topped out at Single-A Modesto, where he was a part of the team’s championship run. It led to him being named the Ken Griffey Jr. Co-Hitter of the Year among all Mariners Minor Leaguers.
Most notably, Montes cut his sky-high strikeout rate of 33.2% from the year prior in the Dominican Summer League down to 25%. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, and with a big, lefty cut, swing-and-miss will probably always be part of his game, but the decisions improved drastically.
“I think it's more mentality,” Montes said through interpreter Freddy Llanos. “Just being able to check the mental aspects of stuff and also maturing what I've been doing throughout the years, that was a big part that helped me reduce that and improve.”
This browser does not support the video element.
The Mariners don’t send their top prospects to Minors instructional leagues in the winter, instead assigning them to their high-performance camp to focus on nutrition and conditioning. It’s here where Montes made the biggest leap, they believe.
Moreover, Montes is no stranger to anybody in Peoria, going out of his way to introduce himself to everybody -- much like Julio Rodríguez did as a teenager.
“[He's] a big dude that, when he gets to the big leagues, he will be a fan favorite, there’s no question about it,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “He's got big-time ability, but he's got the personality to match up with it.”
Felnin Celesten, SS
The backstory: He’s yet to play in a pro game of any caliber
The tools: Switch-hitting shortstop
The personality: Quiet but confident
Celesten strained his hamstring two days before the DSL began last June, then out of caution, remained sidelined the rest of the season. He said that he felt fully recovered by late summer, and instead used the time to mentally mature amidst the adversity, while adding 10-15 pounds of pure muscle.
“He’s filling out a lot of the T-shirts we’re giving him,” Mariners Minor League hitting coordinator CJ Gillman said.
For all those reasons, Friday represents a huge individual milestone, even if it’s just an exhibition.
“This is a moment that I've been waiting for quite a bit,” Celesten said through Llano. “Last year, I wasn't able to play due to a lot of different situations, but this year, I'm hoping to play a lot more. I'm eager to get on that field.”
Celesten was the No. 2 prospect in the 2023 international class and signed for $4.7 million, the highest bonus that Seattle has ever given to an international prospect -- by a wide margin.
Some have suggested that he profiles at shortstop best among a Mariners pipeline loaded with middle infielders, including Cole Young and Colt Emerson. And because Celesten switch-hits, both his floor and ceiling could be sky high, potentially near the top of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 when he’s close to the Majors.
“It's absurd,” Gillman said. “I mean, the infield actions are great. ... We're all just excited to see him play. He's gotten bigger physically as well. Everybody knows that practice and the game are two different things. I think it's just all of the things, all the anticipation. Nobody has gotten to see him play.”