Jesus Montero ✝

Jesús Alejandro Montero López (born November 28, 1989) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners.\n', ' Signed by the Yankees in 2006, Montero became one of the best prospects in baseball. He debuted in MLB with the Yankees during the 2011 season, and was traded to the Mariners for Michael Pineda during the 2011-12 offseason. After his rookie year in 2012, Montero struggled with the Mariners in 2013 before ending his season with a 50-game suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal. He spent most of the 2014 and 2015 seasons in the minor leagues. His last major league game occurred on October 3, 2015 for the Mariners. Montero was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016 and the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 but spent his time on their minor league teams. He was signed by the Sultanes de Monterrey in 2017 and Generales de Durango in 2018 but was released from both teams.\n', ' On July 2, 2006, Montero, an amateur free agent, signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB), receiving a $1.6 million signing bonus. Baseball America considered Montero to be the best player available and the best power hitter in the 2006 international free agent class. In 2007, at age 17, Montero made his professional debut in Minor League Baseball for the Gulf Coast Yankees of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. As a result of his performance, the Yankees invited Montero to spring training in 2008, where he hit a home run in his only at bat before being assigned to minor league camp. He spent the 2008 season with the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class A South Atlantic League, where he batted .326 with 17 home runs and 87 runs batted in (RBIs), with two stolen bases. Baseball America rated Montero as the Yankees\' second best prospect after the 2008 season. \n', '