Hailing from Havana, Lázaro Montes is set to achieve the dream of every baseball player: making his debut in Major League Baseball. The Seattle Mariners have officially announced their lineup for the game against the Boston Red Sox, positioning the 21-year-old Cuban prospect as the seventh batter and designated hitter.
The game is scheduled to start at 3:45 p.m. local time in Boston, with Woo taking the mound as the starting pitcher for Seattle. The debut of Montes was met with excitement, as reported by Pelota Cubana: "The awaited night has arrived: Lázaro Montes will be in a Major League lineup for the first time."
The Mariners called up Montes from Triple-A Tacoma as part of the usual September roster expansion, a process that allows teams to increase their squad size as the regular season concludes.
Montes enters the MLB backed by a historic minor league season. Over the course of 123 games split between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, the Havana native achieved a batting average of .249, hit 38 home runs, 24 doubles, drove in 96 runs, and scored 99 times, with an OPS of .927.
His 38 home runs were enough to break a long-standing Cuban record set by Juan Francisco "Pancho" Herrera, who hit 37 homers in 1959 with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, also securing the Triple Crown in that league.
Born in Havana on October 22, 2004, Montes signed with Seattle in January 2022 as an international free agent, earning a $2.5 million signing bonus. Since then, he has excelled at every level in the Mariners' system, earning MVP honors in both the California League and the Northwest League.
Montes' raw power, often compared to that of Yordan Álvarez, with whom he shares a hitting coach, has made him one of baseball's most watched prospects. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the 43rd overall prospect and third within Seattle's system, while Baseball America places him among the top three in the team.
In 2025, Montes was the sole Cuban player selected for the All-Star Futures Game, an accolade reserved for the top prospects in American baseball.
His debut comes at a time when Cuban presence in MLB has reached unprecedented levels: at least 29 Cuban players appeared on MLB rosters before this Tuesday, including Luis Robert Jr., Orlando Ribalta, and Franco Alemán. Montes becomes the 30th or more to join this list during the 2026 season.
The Mariners enter Montes' debut with a 64-74 record, virtually out of playoff contention. This makes Montes' appearance more of a strategic investment in the franchise's future than a tactical move for postseason play.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lázaro Montes' MLB Debut
Who is Lázaro Montes?
Lázaro Montes is a Cuban baseball player from Havana who is making his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners as a designated hitter.
What are Lázaro Montes' achievements in the minor leagues?
In the minor leagues, Lázaro Montes achieved a batting average of .249, hit 38 home runs, and secured 96 RBIs in 123 games, breaking a longstanding Cuban home run record.
How does Lázaro Montes' debut impact the Seattle Mariners?
With the Mariners out of playoff contention, Montes' debut is seen as a move focused on the future of the franchise rather than immediate tactical gains.