Keider Eduardo Montero (born July 6, 2000) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Keider Montero
Montero with the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2022
Detroit Tigers – No. 54
Pitcher
Born: (2000-07-06) July 6, 2000 (age 24)
Santa Teresa del Tuy, Venezuela
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 29, 2024, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record6–6
Earned run average4.76
Strikeouts77
Teams

Career

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Montero signed with the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent on August 25, 2016.[1] He made his professional debut in 2017 with the Dominican Summer League Tigers, posting a 4.02 ERA across 14 games (12 starts). Montero returned to the team the following year, recording a 2.14 ERA with 40 strikeouts across 15 contests.[2]

Montero split the 2019 campaign with the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Tigers and Low–A Connecticut Tigers, making 10 combined starts and compiling a 4–3 record and 2.08 ERA with 49 strikeouts across 47+23 innings of work.[3] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Montero returned in action in 2021 to play for the High–A West Michigan Whitecaps, registering a 4–8 record and 5.28 ERA with 59 strikeouts across 15 starts. He remained with the club in 2022, posting a 7–7 record and 4.51 ERA with 101 strikeouts across 27 games (26 starts).[5] Montero started 2023 with West Michigan before being promoted to the Double–A Erie SeaWolves and Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens. In 27 games (26 starts) between the three affiliates, he accumulated a 15–4 record and 4.66 ERA with 160 strikeouts across 127+13 innings pitched.[6]

On November 14, 2023, the Tigers added Montero to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He was optioned to Triple–A Toledo to begin the 2024 season.[7] On May 29, 2024, Montero was promoted to the major leagues to make his Major League debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of their doubleheader. He was the team's 27th man for the game and was sent down afterwards.[8] He was called up again to start a game on June 26, 2024, but was sent down the next day when another pitcher was activated off the injured list.[9] Montero was again called up on July 3, 2024, to start a game after starting pitcher Casey Mize had to be placed on the injured list.[10]

On September 10th, 2024, he pitched a complete game shutout against the Colorado Rockies, while facing the minimum of 27 batters. He only allowed 3 hits, and all of them were forced out on double-plays.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Detroit Free Press".
  2. ^ "Keider Montero Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". mlb.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "Keider Montero - Stats - Pitching". fangraphs.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  4. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Keider Montero Stats & Scouting Report". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  6. ^ "Tigers' Keider Montero Shows Promise in First Run Through Double-A". August 2023.
  7. ^ "Tigers make 10 cuts as spring roster trimmed again". mlive.com. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  8. ^ "Tigers Place Kerry Carpenter On Injured List, Call Up Keider Montero For MLB Debut". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  9. ^ ewoodber@mlive.com, Evan Woodbery | (June 27, 2024). "Tigers activate reliever from injured list, option Keider Montero to Toledo". mlive. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  10. ^ "Tigers' Keider Montero: Starting Wednesday". CBSSports.com. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  11. ^ Petzold, Evan. "Keider Montero throws complete game as Detroit Tigers roll Colorado Rockies in 11-0 win". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
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