Coco Montes Bio
Robert Patrick “Coco” Montes, born on October 7, 1996, is an American professional baseball infielder. He is currently a free agent after most recently playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and the Tampa Bay Rays, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.
Montes has worked his way up through the minor leagues, beginning with the Colorado Rockies organization in 2018, and eventually reached the major leagues in 2023. A versatile infielder, he has played second base, shortstop, and third base throughout his professional career, and has represented teams in both the United States and Japan.
Early Life and Background
Robert Patrick “Coco” Montes was born on October 7, 1996, and is American by nationality. He grew up idolizing Nomar Garciaparra of the Boston Red Sox, a player who helped shape his early interest in the game. Montes attended Coral Gables High School in Florida, where he developed into a draft-eligible prospect by his senior year.
His family history includes a Cuban heritage through his great-grandfather, Manuel Ramírez. Ramírez had been a lawyer in Cuba representing American businesses before relocating to Miami, Florida, by August 1960. He later moved to Michigan, then settled in Hartford, Connecticut, where he taught Spanish at Avon Old Farms, before the family resettled in Miami in the 1970s.
Path to Baseball
Montes was first selected in the Major League Baseball draft out of high school. He was picked by the Washington Nationals in the 35th round, with the 1,064th overall selection, in the 2015 MLB draft, but he did not sign with the club. Instead, he chose to continue his baseball development at the University of South Florida, a path that allowed him to refine his skills against stronger college competition.
His time in college baseball paid off three years later, when he became a much更高 draft selection. In the 2018 MLB draft, the Colorado Rockies chose him in the 15th round, with the 456th overall pick, and he signed with the organization, officially launching his professional career.
Coco Montes Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Coco Montes made his professional debut in 2018 with the rookie-level Grand Junction Rockies, and he could not have asked for a better start. He was named the Pioneer League Most Valuable Player after hitting .333/.413/.513 with 8 home runs and 42 runs batted in across 69 games, a performance that quickly established him as a rising infielder in the Rockies’ system.
In 2019, Montes moved up to the Single-A Asheville Tourists, where he played a full 132-game season. He hit .258/.305/.406 and set new career highs with 13 home runs and 89 runs batted in, showing the power potential that would become a bigger part of his game in later seasons. The 2020 minor league season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Montes did not appear in a game that year.
Minor League Progression (2021–2022)
Montes spent the 2021 season with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats, playing in 116 games and slashing .258/.317/.448 with 13 home runs and 60 runs batted in. The following year, he began 2022 in Double-A Hartford but was quickly promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, where he played 111 games and batted .274/.359/.500 with 20 home runs, 77 runs batted in, and 13 stolen bases, marking his clearest step forward as an offensive player.
He opened the 2023 season with Triple-A Albuquerque and continued producing at a high level, hitting .321/.401/.560 with 12 home runs, 47 runs batted in, and 4 stolen bases in 59 games. That performance set the stage for his long-awaited first call to the major leagues.
Colorado Rockies Era (2023)
On June 11, 2023, the Rockies selected Montes’ contract to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his debut that same day as the starting second baseman against the San Diego Padres, and went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs batted in. His two-run home run came off Blake Snell in the eighth inning to tie the game, and Colorado went on to win 5–4.
In 18 games for Colorado in 2023, Montes hit .184/.244/.316 with 1 home run and 3 runs batted in. On September 5, 2023, he was designated for assignment following the promotion of Cole Tucker, then cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Albuquerque on September 7. He played 64 games for Albuquerque in 2024, hitting .335/.414/.551 with 9 home runs, 47 runs batted in, and 5 stolen bases, before being released by the Rockies organization on June 25, 2024.
Yomiuri Giants Era (2024)
On June 27, 2024, Montes signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, beginning his first stint playing outside North America. In 46 games for Yomiuri, he batted .272/.308/.391 with 1 home run and 14 runs batted in, offering a steady contact-oriented presence in the Giants’ lineup.
Tampa Bay Rays Era (2025)
On December 23, 2024, Montes signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, and on March 27, 2025, the Rays selected his contract and optioned him to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. In five games for the Rays, he went 2-for-10 (.200) with no home runs and 1 run batted in. On July 26, Montes was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay, cleared waivers, and was sent outright to Durham on July 28. He elected free agency on November 2, 2025.
Coco Montes Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Montes’ nickname “Coco” has a family story behind it. He was born with a full head of hair that his mother shaved off, after which his grandfather began calling him “cocoliso,” a term that loosely translates to coconut and is used as slang for a bald person. The nickname stuck and has followed him throughout his baseball career.
His Cuban great-grandfather, Manuel Ramírez, had been a lawyer in Cuba representing American businesses before relocating to Miami, Florida, by August 1960. Ramírez later moved to Michigan, then settled in Hartford, Connecticut, where he taught Spanish at Avon Old Farms, before the family resettled in Miami in the 1970s.
2025 Season Performance
Coco Montes’ 2025 season was split between Triple-A Durham and a brief stint in the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays. After signing a minor league deal in December 2024 and having his contract selected on March 27, 2025, he appeared in five games for the Rays and went 2-for-10 with one run batted in before being designated for assignment on July 26.
Following his outright assignment to Durham, Montes continued to work in the Rays’ farm system for the remainder of the season. After the campaign ended, he elected free agency on November 2, 2025, once again becoming available to sign with any club.
Looking ahead, Montes enters the next offseason as a free-agent infielder with experience at the major league level in both MLB and NPB, along with a track record of strong offensive production in Triple-A, including a .335/.414/.551 slash line in 64 games for Albuquerque in 2024.