Lou Montañez

Luis Anibal Montañez (born December 15, 1981) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs.

Lou Montañez
Montañez with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009
Outfielder
Born: (1981-12-15) December 15, 1981 (age 42) Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 5, 2008, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 2011, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Batting average	.223
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	32
Teams
Baltimore Orioles (2008–2010) Chicago Cubs (2011)
Career highlights and awards
Hit a home run in first major league at-bat

Professional career

Minor leagues

Montañez was drafted by the Chicago Cubs with the third overall pick of the 2000 MLB draft.^[1] He spent seven seasons in the Cubs' farm system but never made it to the major leagues.

On January 5, 2007, Montañez signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.^[2] After batting .335 with 26 home runs and 97 RBI in 116 games for the Orioles Double-A affiliate Bowie Baysox, he was called up to the majors for the first time. In 2008, Montañez won the Eastern League Triple Crown despite missing nearly a month of the season after getting called up to the majors.^[3]

Baltimore Orioles

Montañez made his major league debut on August 5, 2008,^[4] playing an inning defensively and without making a plate appearance.^[5] The next day, he hit a home run in his first major-league at bat,^{[lower-alpha 1]} making him the second Oriole to accomplish the feat, the first having been Buster Narum in 1963.^[9] After starting the 2009 season playing for the Orioles Triple-A affiliate, Norfolk Tides, Montañez was recalled to the majors on April 21 after an injury to Ryan Freel.^[10] On November 10, 2010, Montanez became a minor league free agent.

Chicago Cubs

Montañez signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs on January 12, 2011.^[11] He was called up from the Iowa Cubs on May 24, 2011 and was in the lineup that night at Wrigley Field against the New York Mets. His first at-bat resulted in an RBI double.^[12] He elected free agency on November 28.

Late career

Montañez was signed to a minor league contract by the Philadelphia Phillies on December 21, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training.^[13] He began the year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. On May 4, Montañez was released.^[14] On May 21, Montañez signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals and was assigned to Triple-A Memphis. In 101 total games that year, Montañez hit .241 with two home runs and 26 RBI in 359 plate appearances.^[15]

On April 3, 2013, Montañez signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League.^[16] In 52 games with the club, he hit .313 with six home runs and 41 RBI.^[15] On June 20, Montañez signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was assigned to Double-A Arkansas.^[17]

On April 25, 2014, Montañez again signed with the Somerset Patriots. He became a free agent after the season.

See also

• List of players with a home run in first major league at-bat

Notes

1. Both MLB.com and Baseball-Reference.com list Montañez's debut as April 28, 2008,^[6] in a suspended game that was subsequently resumed and completed on August 25, 2008.^[7] Although Montañez only entered the game as a pinch hitter on the latter date,^[7] the game is recorded as having been played on the day it started (April 28). The Elias Sports Bureau still credits Montañez with a home run in his first MLB at bat, however, because he was not in the major leagues on April 28.^[8]

References

1. "1st Round of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
2. Fordin, Spencer (January 5, 2007). "Notes: Cabrera agrees to one-year deal". Baltimore Orioles. MLB.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2007. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
3. Fordin, Spencer (September 1, 2008). "Montanez wins Eastern League Triple Crown". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
4. "Luis Montanez". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
5. "Baltimore Orioles 3, Anaheim Angels 0". Retrosheet. August 5, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
6. "Luis Montanez Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
7. "April 28, 2008 Baltimore Orioles at Chicago White Sox Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. April 28, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
8. Schmuck, Peter (August 25, 2008). "Upon further examination". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
9. Fordin, Spencer (August 6, 2008). "Montanez homers in first MLB at-bat". Baltimore Orioles. MLB.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2008. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
10. "Hit in head by throw, Orioles' Freel put on DL". ESPN. Associated Press. April 21, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
11. Axisa, Mike (January 18, 2011). "Quick Hits: Toregas, Montanez, Hargrove, Payrolls". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
12. Ruppenthal, Alex (May 25, 2011). "Montanez comes full circle in Cubs debut". Chicago Cubs. MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
13. Mennella, Dan (December 21, 2011). "Minor Moves: Velez, Hernandez, Luna, Montanez". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
14. Links, Zachary (May 5, 2012). "Minors Moves: Montanez, Van Mil, Layne". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
15. "Luis Montanez Minor, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
16. "Patriots Add Three Major League Outfielders". Somerset Patriots. April 3, 2013. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
17. Adams, Steve (June 20, 2013). "Minor Moves: Lou Montanez, Chris Robinson". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved June 20, 2013.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet