Montero adds to RBI total with homer

Jesus Montero is continuing to show he may be the bat the Mariners need.

MLB.com's No. 12 prospect slugged a two-run homer as Seattle lost to the visiting Chicago Cubs, 12-7, on Monday in Cactus League play.

Acquired by the Mariners from the Yankees on Jan. 20 for Michael Pineda, Montero finished 1-for-5. With former first-rounder Justin Smoak on first base in the third inning, the 22-year-old catcher hit the fifth pitch of his at-bat against left-hander Travis Wood over the wall in right-center field.

The homer was Montero's second this spring. Overall, he is batting .286 and leads the club with 10 RBIs in Cactus League play.

The Mariners are hoping that the acquisition of the right-handed hitter will provide the boost to their lineup that they need. Seattle finished last in the American League with 559 runs scored and trailed every team but the Twins with 103 homers. It was the second straight year that the Mariners scored the fewest runs in the American League.

Montero batted .288 with 18 homers and 67 RBIs in 109 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. After being promoted to the Yankees in September, he hit .328 with four more homers, posting a .996 OPS in 18 games for New York.

Brett Jackson, the Cubs' No. 2 prospect, fanned twice after replacing Marlon Byrd in the sixth.