Keider Montero continues to argue for a place in the Tigers' 2025 rotation

Sometimes it's not just the most well-known young players that come into the league and make an impact. Sometimes it's the guys who are more under the radar. Keider Montero is one example. This 24-year-old right-hander has made a name for himself in the Motor City and turned heads. There's still room for improvement, but he's still early in his MLB career. On Saturday, Montero proved his worth against the Yankees by going five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks, and recording five strikeouts. Montero held the Bronx Bombers' three big hitters, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, hitless in six at-bats, each recording one strikeout.

Montero was never a highly-rated talent. Some people see that as a blessing in disguise. The pressure to be a top talent can be very high. Look at Jackson Holliday's first stint with the Baltimore Orioles. The kid is super talented but failed at his first opportunity in the league. I think it has to do with the pressure to have an immediate impact on the team.

Montero has pitched at least five innings in 10 of his first 12 starts. He has struggled in some starts and allowed four runs in four of his last six appearances, but otherwise he has been strong. Aside from Skubal and Olson, the starting lineup for next year is questionable. Kenta Maeda has been terrible in his tenure with Detroit. Casey Mize has had plenty of drama with the team over the last year or two. Matt Manning could make the team, but the Tigers seem to want to avoid him for some reason. Montero has a great chance to earn a spot on the roster next season.

Keider has a 5.28 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 60 innings. There is still room for improvement. Reese Olson comes to mind when thinking of players who have developed at the major league level over the past few seasons. He was another player who wasn't a highly touted prospect but established himself as a solid talent. Montero is on the same path.

Montero has a damn good slider. With tight spin and a sharp break, it's really a pitch that's hard to hit. He may not be a big strikeout guy, but neither was Rick Porcello when he won the Cy Young with the Boston Red Sox in 2016. His fastball ranges from 92-95, with an 82-84 slider, 84-86 changeup, and a sub-80 mph curve. That's a lot of variety in movement and speed, which sets hitters up for a tough matchup against Keider. With a nice four-pitch mix and a shut-down slider, Mr. Montero will continue to impact the team in 2025 and beyond.