Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks, Shelve Extension Talks

Today the Arizona Diamondbacks announced that they have shelved extension talks with starting catcher Miguel Montero. Montero will be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season. The two sides barely avoided arbitration last month.

Kevin Powers, the Diamondbacks general manager, said that the two sides just could not come to an agreement. Montero will earn $5.9 million in 2012 from his deal that avoided arbitration.

Montero will be a part of an elite catching free agent class that will likely include (unless they get extended) Russell Martin, Chris Iannetta and Mike Napoli. Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals would have been as well if not for the five year extension he signed last week.

Montero is the youngest of all of those catchers, and will be a top 2012 free agent and should get high demand. The DBacks catcher will likely not be with Arizona next season now.