The Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Skilled Baseball introduced this week that they’ve signed infielder Elehuris Montero and re-signed lefty Taylor Hearn, who excelled for the Carp in a reduction function in 2024 (Japanese-language hyperlinks by way of Yahoo Japan). Each gamers are CAA shoppers, and each are receiving one-year offers for the 2025 marketing campaign.
Montero, 26, was as soon as a extremely touted nook infield prospect within the Cardinals system. He landed with the Rockies alongside Austin Gomber, Mateo Gil, Tony Locey and Jake Sommers within the commerce sending Nolan Arenado to St. Louis. Colorado outrighted him off the 40-man roster this previous July, and he grew to become a minor league free agent at season’s finish.
The Rox gave Montero his massive league debut in 2022, however whereas he’s proven energy at occasions all through elements of three MLB seasons, he’s by no means been in a position to put the ball in play or attain base with any actual consistency. The righty-swinging slugger is a profession .228/.277/.387 hitter in 739 plate appearances. He’s been much better in Triple-A, mashing at a .314/.392/.589 tempo in 877 journeys to the plate. That’s the kind of manufacturing the Carp certainly are hoping to amass.
The 30-year-old Hearn was a fifth-round choose by the Nats again in 2015 and has pitched in elements of 5 MLB seasons — primarily with the Rangers. He labored as each a starter and reliever throughout his time in Texas, having fun with way more success within the bullpen (4.48 ERA, 24.6 Ok%, 11 BB%) than within the rotation (6.36 ERA, 18.3 Ok%, 9.5 BB%).
It was within the bullpen that Hearn starred for the Carp upon signing with them final December. He missed a while in ’24 however was wonderful when on the mound, pitching 35 innings with a pristine 1.29 ERA. Hearn was one of many major setup males for the Carp, although he picked up a pair of saves as properly. In his 35 frames, he fanned 20.2% of his opponents in opposition to a terrific 5.4% stroll price.
