Montañez was drafted by the Chicago Cubs with the third overall pick of the 2000 MLB draft.[1] He spent seven seasons in the Cubs' farm system but never made it to the major leagues.
On January 5, 2007, Montañez signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.[2] After batting .335 with 26 home runs and 97 RBI in 116 games for the Orioles Double-A affiliate Bowie Baysox, he was called up to the majors for the first time. In 2008, Montañez won the Eastern LeagueTriple Crown despite missing nearly a month of the season after getting called up to the majors.[3]
Baltimore Orioles
Montañez made his major league debut on August 5, 2008,[4] playing an inning defensively and without making a plate appearance.[5] The next day, he hit a home run in his first major-league at bat,[a] making him the second Oriole to accomplish the feat, the first having been Buster Narum in 1963.[9] After starting the 2009 season playing for the Orioles Triple-A affiliate, Norfolk Tides, Montañez was recalled to the majors on April 21 after an injury to Ryan Freel.[10] On November 10, 2010, Montanez became a minor league free agent.
Chicago Cubs
Montañez signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs on January 12, 2011.[11] He was called up from the Iowa Cubs on May 24, 2011 and was in the lineup that night at Wrigley Field against the New York Mets. His first at-bat resulted in an RBI double.[12] He elected free agency on November 28.
Late career
Montañez was signed to a minor league contract by the Philadelphia Phillies on December 21, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training.[13] He began the year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. On May 4, Montañez was released.[14] On May 21, Montañez signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals and was assigned to Triple-A Memphis. In 101 total games that year, Montañez hit .241 with two home runs and 26 RBI in 359 plate appearances.[15]
On April 25, 2014, Montañez again signed with the Somerset Patriots. He became a free agent after the season. In 130 games he hit .289/.350/.471 with 17 home runs, 74 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.
^Both MLB.com and Baseball-Reference.com list Montañez's debut as April 28, 2008,[6] in a suspended game that was subsequently resumed and completed on August 25, 2008.[7] Although Montañez only entered the game as a pinch hitter on the latter date,[7] the game is recorded as having been played on the day it started (April 28). The Elias Sports Bureau still credits Montañez with a home run in his first MLB at bat, however, because he was not in the major leagues on April 28.[8]
