Source: Jesus Montero to be called up

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BOSTON -- Top New York Yankees catching prospect Jesus Montero will be among the September call-ups joining the Yankees when rosters expand on Thursday, according to a team source who spoke with ESPNNewYork on the condition on anonymity.

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported that a call-up for Montero was looming earlier Wednesday.

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Montero is hitting .290 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and has hit five home runs in his last seven games. After a slow start, Montero, 21, has had 40 RBIs since July 1.

Montero was expected to compete for the starting catching job in spring training before the Yankees traded for Russell Martin. He then was virtually assured of winning the backup job when Francisco Cervelli broke his foot in spring training, but he failed to make the team and spent the season in Triple-A. He is expected to fill in as a right-handed designated hitter.

The same team source told ESPNNewYork.com that neither of the two other highly-touted Yankees pitching prospects, 20-year-old left-hander Manny Banuelos and 23-year-old righty Dellin Betances, would be called up immediately but could join the team later.

Banuelos is 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA for Scranton after being promoted from Double-A Trenton earlier this season. Betances, who also made the leap from Double-A to Triple-A this season, was 0-2 with a 3.94 ERA for Scranton.

Wallace Matthews covers the Yankees for ESPNNewYork.com.

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Wallace Matthews

ESPNNewYork.com

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Wallace Matthews has covered New York sports since 1983 as a reporter, columnist, radio host and TV commentator. He covers the Yankees for ESPNNewYork.com after working for Newsday, the New York Post, the New York Sun and ESPN New York 98.7 FM.
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