Montes De Oca is a 26-year-old who made his big league debut last season. Arizona first called him up in May but didn’t get him in a game before cutting him again. He returned in early June as an extra pitcher for a doubleheader in Cincinnati. Montes De Oca pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings of fly ball, striking out two while walking a batter.
That ended up being his only MLB appearance of the season. Montes De Oca went on the injured list a few days later with elbow inflammation. The Snakes then announced that he was headed for surgery for an apparently unrelated lower back injury. Montes De Oca finished the season on the injured list but was reinstated to the roster at the start of the offseason.
Montes De Oca only entered the professional ranks at the age of 22. He pitched to a 4.34 earned run average in 186 2/3 innings over parts of four minor league seasons. He has eliminated a quarter of opponents at a usable walk rate of 8.1%. He remains in the system as a non-roster player and believes he will receive an invite to big league camp next spring if he is healthy.
Tomorrow night is the deadline for teams to add players to the 40-man roster to keep them out of the Rule 5 draft. Mitch Bratt And Kohl Drake – acquired the top two pitching prospects from Texas Merrill Kelly – will both have to be added to the selection. Dropping Montes De Oca gives them an extra spot in case they want to keep someone as a Double-A outfielder Gavin ConticelloTriple-A starter Dylan Ray or former third-round pick Jacob Steinmetz from the design.
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