Mason Montgomery
Position: LHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 205 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Born: 06/17/2000
College: Texas Tech University
Drafted: Drafted 6th round, 191st Overall, 2021 (Rays)
How Acquired: Trade (with Rays and Astros)
Bonus: $222,500
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 2
Overview
Montgomery is a power-armed lefty reliever. He throws two pitches, a fastball that averages about 98 mph and a slider that he throws about a third of the time. Both pitches generate a lot of swings and misses. In the majors, he’s had trouble with walks and also with right-handed batters. The Rays originally developed Montgomery as a starter, but moved him to relief in 2024. As a reliever his velocity jumped from the low 90s and he dropped his change, which wasn’t an effective pitch. The Pirates acquired Montgomery in a three-team trade involving Mike Burrows and Brandon Lowe.
2021-22
Montgomery didn’t spend much time in the low minors. After being drafted in 2021, he appeared in five games in rookie ball and had no trouble, walking one and striking out 20 in 10.2 IP. He made 16 starts in high A in 2022 and put up a 1.81 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He struck out 15.2 per nine innings. The Rays promoted him to AA and, in 11 starts, he had a 2.48 ERA. His K/9 did drop to 8.8.
2023-25
Montgomery went back to AA in 2023 and, in 25 starts, had more trouble, posting a 4.18 ERA. His main issue was gopher balls, 18 in 107.2 IP. Right-handed hitters had 17 of those. He had a 4.1 BB/9 and 11.0 K/9. Montgomery made four starts in AAA at the end of the season and had a 2.70 ERA.
In 2024, Montgomery went back to AAA and struggled through 14 starts, with opponents lighting him up for a 1.029 OPS. The Rays shifted him to relief full-time in early August and, in ten outings, he allowed no runs and five hits over 9.2 IP. He’d been pitching in relief some before the full-time switch; over 26 relief appearances on the season, opponents managed only a .548 OPS against him. The Rays called him up in September and he had a 1.86 ERA over nine games, with 17 strikeouts in 9.2 IP.
Montgomery spent most of 2025 in the majors. He fanned 12.3 per nine innings, but he walked 5.3 and held left-handed hitters to a .636 OPS. Right-handed hitters were a much bigger problem, batting 321/409/505 against him. The problem seemed to result mostly from a .455 BABIP against right-handers. On the whole season, Montgomery had a 5.67 ERA but a 3.56 xFIP. His overall BABIP was a very high .384 and he had a low strand rate of 65.6%. Montgomery’s Statcast data shows very high chase and whiff rates, and good hard-hit and groundball rates. The Rays sent Montgomery to AAA twice and, in nine appearances, he gave up two runs and fanned 15 in nine innings.
Stats
Transactions
June 6, 2018: Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 39th round, 1158th overall pick.
June 12, 2021: Drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 6th round, 191st overall pick; signed August 8.
September 5, 2024: Contract purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays.
December 19, 2025: Traded by the Tampa Bay Rays with Mason Montgomery and Jake Mangum to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-team trade in which the Pirates sent Mike Burrows to the Houston Astros and the Astros sent Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito to the Rays.