While ASU catcher Ryan Campos was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals earlier on Monday, Sun Devils catching commit Nick Montgomery was selected No. 161 overall in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With their 5th-round pick (No. 161 overall), the @Braves select Cypress (CA) catcher Nick Montgomery, No. 196 on the Top 250 Draft Prospects list.
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— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) July 15, 2024
Montgomery wrapped up his senior year at Cypress (Calif.) High School and according to ASU’s website, he is set to be a freshman at Arizona State for the upcoming season.
Even though there is not much information available about him, he is known as a power hitter who uses all of his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame on offense.
When analyzing what MLB.com had to say in their analysis of him, they think Montgomery is improving his overall game but could shift away from playing catcher in the future due to his size and defense.
“At 6-foot-4, Montgomery is a presence from the right side of the plate,” the report said. “There’s plenty of raw power for him to tap into, and he’s done it against good competition, including at the Area Code Games. He uses a small leg kick to help with timing, and while there is some length in his swing and he can open up too soon at times, he’s done a good job overall of making contact against good pitching, both last summer and during his senior season.
“It remains to be seen if Montgomery can stick behind the plate long-term. He has plenty of arm for the position and does have some receiving skills to work with, but his size could kick him to first base or perhaps a corner outfield spot in the future. Regardless of where he plays, it’s his bat that could get the Arizona State recruit off the board during Day 2.”
With multiple options of where he will continue to develop his game, time will tell if he remains committed to Arizona State or if he signs professionally with the Braves and begins his professional career in the minors instead.
ASU star catcher, Mesa native Ryan Campos drafted by St. Louis Cardinals
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
