Bryce Montes de Oca
New York Mets
Pitcher
Born: (1996-04-23) April 23, 1996
Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 3, 2022, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average10.80
Strikeouts6
Teams

Bryce Montes de Oca (born April 23, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Mets organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2022.

Early life

Montes de Oca was born in Lawrence, Kansas, to parents Ivo and Susan.[1] He is of Cuban descent.[2]

Amateur career

Montes de Oca attended Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Kansas.[3][4] He played for the school's baseball team, but required Tommy John surgery in April 2013. He returned in 2014, throwing a 95-mile-per-hour (153 km/h) fastball.[5] USA Today selected him for their All-Kansas high school baseball team.[6] The Chicago White Sox selected Montes de Oca in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB draft.[5][2] He did not sign with the White Sox, and enrolled at the University of Missouri, where he played college baseball for the Missouri Tigers.[7]

Montes de Oca had a second elbow surgery while with Missouri,[8] and pitched 8+1⁄3 in his first two years.[7] He returned from the injury throwing as fast as 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).[8] In 2015 and 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[9][10] The Washington Nationals selected him in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB draft,[11] but he did not sign, and returned to Missouri in 2018.[7] On March 2, 2018, Montes de Oca and two relief pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter.[12]

Professional career

The New York Mets selected him in the ninth round, 260th overall, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[7] He signed with the Mets, beginning his professional career. Montes de Oca underwent multiple surgeries after being drafted, however, and made his professional debut on May 5, 2021, with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones.[13] He finished the year with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, posting a 4.50 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 6 saves in 34.0 innings of work across 28 games for both teams. He began the 2022 season with Binghamton before being promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. In 44 combined games, he registered a 3–3 record and 3.33 ERA with 80 strikeouts and 11 saves in 51.1 innings pitched.[14]

On September 3, 2022, Montes de Oca was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[15] He made his MLB debut the same day, striking out one batter and yielding one hit, one walk and no runs pitching 2⁄3 of an inning to finish a 7–1 loss to the Washington Nationals.[16] He finished his rookie campaign with a 10.80 ERA and 6 strikeouts in 3.1 innings across 3 appearances.

On March 28, 2023, it was announced that Montes de Oca would undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove bone fragments from his right elbow, sidelining him for four months.[17] During the surgery, doctors discovered that he needed Tommy John surgery and performed the procedure, ending his 2023 season.[18] Following the season on November 2, Montes de Oca was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Syracuse.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "2018 Baseball Roster: Bryce Montes de Oca". University of Missouri.
  2. 1 2 Schiffer, Alex (June 5, 2014). "Decision looms for recruit". Columbia Daily Tribune.
  3. ↑ "The Dividing Line | LHS senior pitcher is ready for a strong and healthy season".
  4. ↑ "LHS pitcher Bryce Montes de Oca calmly awaits draft".
  5. 1 2 "Lawrence pitcher tapped in 14th".
  6. ↑ "USA Today honors Lions' Montes de Oca".
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Former LHS pitcher Bryce Montes de Oca drafted by Mets".
  8. 1 2 "Healthy Montes de Oca embraces opportunity". Columbiatribune.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Strong-armed start". Capecodtimes.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  10. ↑ "KU, LHS baseball featured in Cape Cod championship".
  11. ↑ "McLaughlin, Montes de Oca picked in final day of MLB Draft".
  12. ↑ "Missouri deals a no-hitter". Columbiatribune.com. March 2, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Prospect Pulse: Bryce Montes De Oca Hitting 102 MPH". metsmerizedonline.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Diagnosis for oft-injured Mets pitcher gets even worse". nj.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Mets Place Trevor May On IL, Select Bryce Montes de Oca". MLB Trade Rumors.
  16. ↑ "Washington Nationals at New York Mets Box Score". Baseball Reference. September 3, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Mets' Bryce Montes de Oca: Headed for elbow surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Mets' Bryce Montes de Oca: Undergoes Tommy John surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Mets' Bryce Montes de Oca: Outrighted off 40-man". cbssports.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
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