Former Bulls player shines in MLB debut with Colorado Rockies
Former USF baseball infielder Coco Montes made his MLB debut for the Colorado Rockies in a 5-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon. The Rockies drafted him in the 15th round of the 2018 Draft.
On Saturday, Montes was called up to the Big Leagues after spending most of the 2023 season with the Rockies’ minor league affiliate the Albuquerque Isotopes. In 59 games, he had a batting average of .321 and hit 12 home runs and 47 RBI.
Montes played a pivotal role in helping the Rockies secure the victory. He recorded two hits in three at-bats, one home run and two RBI.
In his first plate appearance, Montes connected on his first major-league hit through a single to right-center field in the bottom of the second inning.
Current Bulls head coach Billy Mohl congratulated his former player in a tweet on his Twitter account. Mohl has been with the Bulls since 2015 and coached Montes from 2016-18.
https://twitter.com/USF_CoachMohl/status/1667981521960017925?s=20
With his team down 3-1, Montes sparked the Rockies’ comeback with a two-RBI home run to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Montes joins other players from the 2018 Bulls roster who have made it to the pros. Pitchers Pete Strzelecki with the Milwaukee Brewers, Shane McClanahan with the Tampa Bay Rays and second baseman David Villar with the San Francisco Giants have all made their debuts over the last few seasons.
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