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Former Frog Lazaro Montes Named Northwest League MVP

Published 10:30 am Thursday, September 18, 2025

By Aaron Coe

Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
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Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

For the second straight year, Mariners prospect Lazaro Montes has been named the MVP of the league he left behind.

The AquaSox slugger Lazaro Montes, promoted from High-A Everett to Double-A Arkansas on June 24, was named the Northwest League Most Valuable Player. A year ago, the 20-year-old left-handed slugger was the MVP of the Single-A California League long after being promoted to Everett.

Montes helped the Frogs win the first half of the Northwest League season, which propelled the AquaSox toward winning the Northwest League Championship Series over Eugene on Sept. 13. The outfielder hit 18 home runs in 68 games with the AquaSox, recording a .268 batting average, .387 on-base percentage and .959 OPS. He finished his 2025 season with 32 homers and 89 RBI with a slash line of .241/.354/.858 combined in Everett and Arkansas.

Montes is the Mariners’ third-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, and was a Futures Game All-Star on July 12 during MLB All-Star weekend in Atlanta.

Shortstop Colt Emerson, ranked the M’s top prospect, was named the Northwest League’s top prospect. Emerson has been promoted twice this season. The 20-year-old joined Montes in Arkansas on Aug. 4, and moved up to Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, hitting a home run in his Rainiers debut.

Emerson, the Mariners’ first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2023, slashed .312/.388/.453 with an .841 OPS, 32 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, and 51 RBIs in 90 games with Everett.

Montes and Emerson were also named to the Northwest League All-Star team, along with former AquaSox Michael Arroyo and Tyler Cleveland.

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