Jesus Montero was once a top prospect. Now, after spending the entire 2016 season in the minors with the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization, Montero will start 2017 serving a 50-game suspension.
Former top Yankees prospect Jesus Montero, now with the Blue Jays, has been suspended 50 games for stimulant use. He was at AAA this year.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 29, 2016
While we can never say never, this makes a return to the Majors for Montero hard to imagine.
Since the Minor League season is over, Montero will not begin to serve his 50-game suspension until next season. By that point, he’ll be a 27-year-old journeyman.
On the surface, that may not seem terribly old. But Montero was in the minors throughout the 2016 season. In Montero’s last Major League Baseball experience last season, he slashed at a paltry .223/.250/.411.
In reality, Montero hasn’t been a terribly effective MLB player since 2012.
On top of all of that, this isn’t Montero’s first trip down this road. While in the Seattle Mariners’ organization, Montero was suspended for 50 games as part of MLB’s Biogenesis scandal.