Rafael Montero is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of the Dominican Republic. He has played for the New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners in Major League Baseball.
Montero signed as an international free agent with the New York Mets on January 20, 2011. He signed at a significantly older age than usual Dominican athletes, nearing his 21st birthday.
He was 5-4 with a 2.15 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 71 innings in his first professional season.
Montero was 11-5 with a 2.36 ERA in 122 innings pitched in 2012, with 110 strikeouts and 19 walks.
Baseball America listed him as the Mets’ seventh greatest prospect prior to the 2013 season. He began the season with the Binghamton Mets of the Double-A level. In June, he was promoted to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s.
Montero was promoted on May 14, 2014, when Dillon Gee was placed on the disabled list with a lat strain.
He finished 12-7 with a 2.43 ERA with Binghamton and a 3.05 ERA with Las Vegas in 2013, with 150 strikeouts and 35 walks in 154.4 innings pitched.
On the same day, Montero made his MLB debut against the New York Yankees at Citi Field. On a 3-2 fastball, he struck out shortstop Derek Jeter for his first major league strikeout in the top of the third inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, he struck out his second batter, Brett Gardner. Montero took the loss in the Mets’ 0-4 loss, pitching six innings and allowing five hits, three runs, two home runs, two walks, and three strikeouts.
On May 31, he was sent down to create room on the roster for Buddy Carlyle.
Is Rafael Montero Married?
Rafael Montero is married to Yasmina. Rafael Montero has always remained private about his personal life so he doesn’t post his wife and daughter on social media.