Rays Sign Infielder Coco Montes to Minor League Deal

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed infielder Coco Montes to a minor league contract, which includes an invitation to Spring Training, as reported by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Montes last played for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league.

Montes' journey began when he was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the late rounds of the 2018 draft. Despite not being a highly-rated prospect, he consistently produced above-average offensive numbers throughout his time in the minors. Montes played across multiple positions, including second base, third base, and shortstop, showcasing his versatility. During a strong 2023 season at Triple-A Albuquerque, he posted an impressive .317/.400/.550 slash line with a 128 wRC+, earning his first promotion to the major leagues.

Despite his success in the minors, Montes struggled to find his footing at the MLB level, going 7-for-38 (.184) with a 38 wRC+. His defensive performance at second base also fell short, with -3 Outs Above Average in a limited sample size of 93 innings. As a result, he was designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A in September.