Aurelio Faustino Monteagudo Cintra (; November 19, 1943 – November 10, 1990), nicknamed "Monty", was a Cuban right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of seven seasons with the Kansas City Athletics, Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, and California Angels. He played Minor League Baseball during the course of 14 seasons, played in the Mexican Baseball League from 1974 to 1981, and played winter league baseball in Venezuela for 20 seasons. Monteagudo managed and coached in the minor leagues, principally in the California Angels' farm system, and in the Mexican Baseball League and Venezuelan winter ball. He was the son of former MLB player René Monteagudo.
Monteagudo was born on November 19, 1943, in Caibarién, Villa Clara Province, Cuba. His father René Monteagudo had been scouted by the Washington Senator's Joe Cambria in Cuba, and played for the Senators (1938, 1940, 1944) and Philadelphia Phillies (1945) during Monteagudo's early childhood. Monteagudo attended Presbyterian High School. It is reported that he moved with his family to Venezuela after Fidel Castro's rise to power in 1959. He later lived in Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela with his wife and family.
It has also been reported that he lived in Cuba until 1963. Monteagudo himself said that he was living in Cuba in 1961, and received permission from Castro to play in the United States. After leaving Cuba to play in the United States, he did not return to Cuba. He was later offered an opportunity to play winter baseball in Venezuela, where he met his future wife and was offered citizenship. He has also been reported as saying that when his 1963 minor league season ended, the Kansas City Athletics wanted him to join the team in September, but he wanted to return home to Cuba and had to be convinced to stay in America to play for the A's that September. In May 1971, it was reported that his parents, two brothers, and his sister were all living in Havana, Cuba, and he had not seen them in 11 years.
In 1961, the Kansas City Athletics signed Monteagudo to a professional contract when he was 16-years old. He was nicknamed "Monty" during his early minor league career. In 1961, he was assigned to the Albuquerque Dukes in the Sophomore League. He had an 11–4 win-loss record, leading the team in wins and winning percentage. Monteagudo started 21 games, completing 12. He had a 4.03 earned run average (ERA) in 154 innings pitched, with 187 strikeouts and 45 bases on balls. He was selected to play in the Sophomore League All-Star Game in 1961.
Monteagudo split most of the 1962 season between the Class B Lewiston Broncos of the Northwest League and the Single-A Binghamton Triplets of the Eastern League. At Lewiston he had a 5–2 record with a 3.55 ERA and 62 strikeouts and 31 walks in 66 innings pitched. With Binghamton, Monteagudo was 1–3, with a 5.30 ERA. He had 54 strikeouts and 25 walks in 56 innings pitched. He also pitched 18 innings over six games for the Dukes, now part of the Double-A Texas League; with an ERA of 8.50.
In 1963, he pitched in 31 games for the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). He started 25 games and had a 10–13 record, with a 3.80 ERA. He had 205 strikeouts and 45 walks in 173 innings pitched. Monteagudo's 205 strikeouts were second highest in the PCL that season. He was called up to the Kansas City A's and made his MLB debut on September 1, 1963, pitching one inning against the Los Angeles Angels. Overall, Monteagudo appeared in four games for the A's as a relief pitcher, with a 2.57 ERA in seven innings pitched.
Monteagudo began the 1964 season with the A's, but was optioned to the Triple-A Dallas Rangers of the PCL in June. On the A's, he pitched in 11 games, starting six, with an 0–4 record and 8.90 ERA. With the Rangers, Monteagudo pitched in 19 games, starting 17. Monteagudo had a 10–5 record with a 2.79 ERA. He had 108 strikeouts and 48 walks in 116 innings pitched. In 1965, he played for the Vancouver Mounties in the PCL, starting all 27 games in which he appeared. Monteagudo had a 11–10 record and 3.32 ERA. He had 128 strikeouts and 78 walks in 171 innings pitched. He was called up to the A's in September 1965, where he pitched seven innings in four relief appearances, with a 3.86 ERA.
On September 8, 1965, the A's Bert Campaneris became the first player in MLB history to play all nine positions in the field. He pitched in the eighth inning and played catcher in the ninth inning (being knocked out of the game by Ed Kirkpatrick on the final out). Monteagudo was the A's pitcher in the ninth inning when Campaneris was the catcher.
Monteagudo began the 1966 season with the A's. He appeared in six games as a relief pitcher, with a 2.84 ERA. The A's sold Monteagudo's contract rights to the Houston Astros on May 17, 1966 for $20,000. During his time with the A's over parts of the 1963 to 1966 seasons, Monteagudo appeared in 25 games, starting six, with a 6.21 ERA and an 0–4 record in 58 innings pitched.
Houston Astros organization, Cincinnati Reds organization, and Chicago White Sox organization
After coming to the Astros in May 1966, Monteagudo appeared in 10 games as a relief pitcher. He had a 4.70 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched. In late July 1966, the Astros sent Monteagudo to their Triple-A farm team in the PCL, the Oklahoma City 89ers, and brought up Carroll Sembera to replace him. He started eight games for the 89ers, with a 4–2 record and 2.29 ERA in 59 innings pitched. He had 58 strikeouts and 22 bases on balls. In late September 1966, the Astros sold Monteagudo's contract rights to the Cincinnati Reds. At the end of the season, he received Venezuelan citizenship. The Reds signed Monteagudo in February 1967, but in mid-May sold his contract rights conditionally to the Indianapolis Indians, the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate in the PCL.
With Indianapolis in 1967, Monteagudo appeared in 24 games, starting 19. He had 4–8 record and 3.55 ERA. He was called up to pitch in one game for the Chicago White Sox that season. He started the second game of a doubleheader on July 16, 1967, pitching only 1.1 innings. The White Sox released Monteagudo less than one week later, and the Reds signed him again the same day.
In 1968, he signed with the Hawaii Islanders, a White Sox affiliate in the PCL, and appeared in seven games with them. The Reds has conditionally sent Monteagudo to the Islanders, and he was returned to the Reds organization in May, joining the Reds Double-A affiliate, the Asheville Tourists. Monteagudo pitched in 17 games for Asheville, starting 13 games. He had an 8–2 record, with a 2.72 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. He later played in 10 games for the Indianapolis Indians that season, which had become a Reds' affiliate. He played in 17 games for Indianapolis in 1969, and was traded in June to the St. Louis Cardinals for Dennis Ribant.
St. Louis Cardinals organization, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres organization, California Angels
Monteagudo finished the 1969 season with the Tulsa Oilers, the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate in the American Association, pitching in 20 games. On December 1, 1969, the Kansas City Royals selected Monteagudo in the minor league draft. In early January 1970, the Royals sold Monteagudo's rights to the San Diego Padres, but he was returned to the Royals in early April 1970. Monteagudo began the 1970 season with the Triple-A Omaha Royals in the American Association. He pitched 14 games in relief, with a 3–1 record and three saves. He had a 2.57 ERA in 28 innings pitched with 28 strikeouts and eight walks.
The Royals brought him up in June 1970 to replace Wally Bunker who had been placed on the disabled list. It had been nearly three years since Monteagudo had last appeared in an MLB game. He pitched in 21 games, all in relief. He had a 1–1 record with a 2.96 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched. On June 15, he was credited with his first MLB victory. The Royals returned Monteagudo to Omaha, where he played the entire 1971 season. He appeared in 46 games, all in relief, and had 12–4 record with 11 saves and a 2.60 ERA. In 83 innings pitched, he had 66 strikeouts and 36 walks. He was tied for second in saves in the American Association that season. Monteagudo was selected as a member of the 1971 American Association All-Star Team.