Yankees Jordan Montgomery Earns SAL Pitcher of the Week
By Wayne Cavadi
The New York Yankees have slowly been rebuilding a once barren farm system. When they snagged Ian Clarkin, Eric Jagielo and Aaron Judge in the first round of the 2013 draft, the Yankees minor league system received an instant boost that has continued each year. Pitcher Jordan Montgomery, the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week, is continuing to show the Yankees progress.
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Montgomery was drafted in fourth round by the Yankees in last year’s draft. He had a decent debut season, making 10 appearances, including 7 starts, over two levels. This season, Montgomery has been dealing.
This past week the 22-year old lefty went the longest into a game that he has in all of 2015 for the Charleston RiverDogs. Montgomery tossed seven innings of shutout ball against the Greenville Drive behind an 8 strikeout and zero walk performance. He allowed just two hits all night. More remarkably is that it took him a mere 69 pitches to get through the Drive’s lineup — which had four of the Boston Red Sox Top 30 prospects on display — with 52 of said pitches landing for strikes. Yoan Moncada, the Red Sox top prospect, was the victim of two of Montgomery’s strikeouts… both were looking.
"“I just threw my fastball in and out today,” Montgomery told Jake Seiner of MiLB.com. “Then I had my changeup, curve and cutter going when I needed them.“I’ve had decent fastball command [all year]. Today, I was really focused on establishing the fastball early and pounded it in there to get a couple strikes, then I could get to my off-speed to keep them off-balanced.”"
Montgomery had a shaky start to the season, allowing 9 earned runs to score over his first four April starts. Since the calendar turned May, however, the 6 foot 4, 225 pound lefty has allowed just one run in his four May starts. He has struck out 20 while walking a mere six this month as well. Montgomery now sits at 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP while striking out 50 in 39.2 innings of work.
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Montgomery’s draft mate, the Yankees first round pick in the 2014 draft Jacob Lindgren, made his debut in the Bronx this week. If Montgomery keeps it up, he may just be in pinstripes in the future.
Joining Montgomery with Pitcher of the Week Awards in the Minor Leagues this week were:
International League — Tommy Milone (check out GotC’s write up on his great week here)
Pacific Coast League — Duane Below
Eastern League — Richard Bleier
Southern League — Blake Snell (check out GotC’s look at Snell’s remarkable scoreless streak here)
Texas League — Frank Lopez
California League — Richelson Pena
Carolina League — Adam Plutko
Florida State League — Jimmy Reed
Midwest League — Jeff Thompson