Seattle Mariners Send Down Catcher Jesus Montero

At one time, not that long ago, Seattle Mariners catcher Jesus Montero was thought to be an up-and-coming star.

Coming off three consecutive years of being ranked the New York Yankees top minor league prospect (and he was ranked #2 before that), the backstop was shipped to the Seattle Mariners in a blockbuster deal that sent highly touted pitcher Michael Pineda to the Bronx Bombers.

Sadly, the deal hast yet to work out for anybody.

Pineda has been dealing with shoulder issues and has yet to strap on the pinstripes while Montero has been nothing short of awful during his stay in the Northwest.

Not only has Montero struggled behind the dish, but his biggest plus, his offensive, has been non-existent.

The Venezuelan native did have a respectable season last year where he hit .260 and clubbed 15 homers in 135 games for the Mariners, but, he’s regressed in 2013 to a .208 average, something the Mariners have had enough of.

According to the Tacoma News Tribune, in what can only be deemed as a wake-up call, the Mariners have sent the former elite prospect back to the farm:

"On the heels of a six-game losing streak and a 2-7 road trip, the Seattle Mariners will make an expected and needed roster move sometime today.Catcher Jesus Montero will be sent to Triple-A Tacoma, while catcher Jesus Sucre will be selected from the Rainiers. Double-A back-up catcher Brandon Bantz, who was serving as the starter in Jackson after John Hicks suffered a groin injury and went on the DL, is already headed to Tacoma to serve as Mike Zunino’s backup."

It’s quite the fall from grace for Montero who many expected to be one of the premier offensive backstops in the game. Still, at only 23, there is plenty of time for improvement – something the Mariners hope a demotion will spark.