Almost Ready for Coors Field Elehuis Montero, Hartford Yard Goats

by Rodger M. Wood

Surprisingly, especially with Adley Rutschmann, and so many other top Orioles and Rockies prospects on the field, It didn't take me but an inning to figure out which ball player in the Hartford Yard Goats/ Bowie Bay Sox game last Sunday I should feature in this article.

In the top of the first inning, a 6 -3, number three hitter in the Yard Goats' batting order stepped in the batter's box, set himself into a powerful stance, and looked over a couple pitch offerings from the talented Bay Sox right-handed starter, RHP Blaine Knight. On the third pitch, the 22 year old's bat exploded in a swing, driving the ball thirty feet above the left center field fence, far into the sky, maybe even into its own orbit circling high above the earth.

Elehuis Montero Hits 1st Inning Homerun

Later in the game. after making a strong presence with some good plays at 3B, and driving in 2 runs with a 4th inning single, the young Dominican hit a second mighty HR blast in the top of sixth inning, which convinced me that this batter, Elehuis Montero, was definitely my story that game.

The St. Louis Cardinals' first signed this then 16 year old talent to a $300,000 contract and assigned him to play rookie ball at DSL Cardinals in 2015.-2016, and GCL Cardinals in 2017. Although he finished the last 24 games of the 2018 season at Fast A Palm Beach Cardinals, he started showing his impressive potential in the 103 games he played with the

Low A - Peoria Chiefs the 2018 season, hitting 322 BA, 15 HR, 69 RBI, for which he was named the Class A Midwest League MVP.

Elehuis Sets Low for Groundballs at 3B

Tthe youngster suffered a setback in the 2019 season when the Cardinals rushed him past more seasoning at Fast A - Palm Beach to the AA - Springfield Cardinals where he was injured and hit only 188 BA in 59 games. Disappointed in those results and and wanting an established superstar at their hot corner, In February, 2021, the St. Louis Cardinals included Elehuis Montero in a trade to the Colorado Rockies for their all star 3B Nolan Arenado.

While understanding he was not ready for his first AA - test, and the pandemic layoff in 2020 hindered his development, the Rockies still had to be worried even more about their big investment in this young prospect when at the end of this past June, Elehuis was hitting a measly 224 BA in his second try against the older, savvy AA - pitchers. Scouts were reporting back that he did not have a plan or an approach to hit the upper level pitchers, had to improve his pitch recognition, and make his swing more compact.I

Elehuis Has a Rifle for an Arm

Starting in July, Elehuis must have started applying his hard learned AA - lessons to his play because he started to hit more consistently, including 10 HR and 23 RBI in 21 games against good AA - pitchers, Jose Butto, Blaine Knight, David Lebron, Cody Sedlock, Elvis Luciano, Kutter Crawford, and Matthew Kent. It didn't matter if he was facing a left handed or right handed pitcher. He hit a HR against savvy veteran LHP Matthew Kent in early July, hit the ball early and late in the count, and hit a pitcher's best stuff..He was hitting for average and power with a 284 BA, with 18 HR, and 54 RBI in 250 AB.

Elehuis Runs Home After a Big Blast HR

The scouting evaluation in the Baseball America (BA) "2020 Prospect Handbook",reported,"While he is a strong, physical hitter, with excellent hand eye coordination, bat speed, and raw power," the Rockies still have not decided where they will put him on the field. So far in 2021, they have been using him as a DH, at 3B, and 1B. BA also reported, that "he had a plus arm for third base, but his size limits his range and makes him an average fielder likely to move to first base."

Rockies Aren't Sure 3B Is His Position

On one play that Sunday, Elehuis made a Brooks Robinson type dive for a hard hit shot over the 3B bag just inside the foul line. He covered the ground at 3B, cutting off balls to the shortstop, stayed down low on the ground balls and threw to first base with a rifle arm. Although a dominant presence at 3B that game, time will tell where Rockies management will choose to put him, In any event, he's more than just a DH and could turn out to be a good fix at 3B or 1B.

Elehuis Reacts to a Popup Hit to HIs Right at 3B

Simultaneous to Elehuis' rebirth at the plate at the beginning of July, the Yard Goats began to win more ball games. They were 18 - 43 W - L record and in last place in the AA - NE Northwest League at the beginning of the month, but in the last 12 games mostly against a strong second place Bowie team, they improved winning 5 of 12 games..

Elehuis Montero is getting better and better every game he plays at Hartford. The sky is the limit for this youngster. Someday after some more games at AA - Hartford and probably at AAA - Fresno Grizzlies, he will be playing major league baseball for the Colorado Rockies. When he starts hitting rocket shots at Coors Field, Rockies/ fans will rise to their feet. Seeing those balls high above the stadium, they will soon forget about Nolan Arenado and remember Elehuis Montero is their new power hitting third baseman.