Joey Ortiz

Organization Prospect Rankings

• Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #7 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Medium
  
  Track Record: Ortiz shed his all-glove, no-hit stigma with strength gains and swing changes coming out of the pandemic, and he broke out late in 2022 with a .991 second-half OPS that prompted the Orioles to add him to the 40-man roster that November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He made his major league debut in April 2023 for the first of three major league stints, though he spent the majority of the year proving last year’s second half wasn’t a fluke with an .850 OPS and 45 extra-base hits at Triple-A Norfolk.
  
  Scouting Report: Ortiz has two true carrying tools to help him solidify his major league future: double-plus defensive traits and elite bat-to-ball skills. He’s a true shortstop with plus range, play-making ability and above-average throwing at the position. He is equally strong at second base, giving him another position where his defense can thrive at the highest level. Ortiz has advanced contact ability and rarely swings and misses, though some regression in his swing decisions in 2023 meant he wasn’t always swinging at pitches he could drive at good angles, even as he maintained consistent hard contact throughout the year. While he can be an average hitter with fringy power--or perhaps average at his peak--Ortiz’s defense means he’ll simply have to hit enough to justify a lineup spot and will still be plenty valuable to a team.
  
  The Future: While he didn’t get much of an opportunity on the Orioles in 2023, Ortiz still has an everyday major league ceiling, though on a championship-caliber team he may be more of a utility player. He’ll be competing for a regular role in Baltimore in spring training.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field: 70 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #8 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Drafted out of the friendly offensive environment of New Mexico State, Ortiz was an early second-day pick in 2019 mostly because of his elite traits at shortstop. The pandemic allowed him to address his offensive shortcomings. He added nearly 30 pounds of muscle to his frame and leveraged his swing toward elevated contact. His breakout was cut short in 2021 due to a torn left labrum that required surgery, and he struggled in the first half of 2022 before a breakout that brought him to Triple-A Norfolk. From July 1 to the end of the season, Ortiz hit .352/.416/.610 and led the minor leagues with 101 hits, 68 runs and 175 total bases. His 1.026 OPS ranked seventh in that time.
  
  Scouting Report: Ortiz always boasted exceptional contact ability--he only whiffed 7.4% of the time in 2022, best in the organization--but the quality of contact wavered early in the year as he struggled to come back from his lead shoulder injury. By adjusting his hand placement to allow him to get to a better launch position and focusing more on the areas where he can drive the ball as opposed to just making contact, Ortiz started producing elite exit velocities. His adjustments and improvements raised his offensive capabilities to potentially an above-average hitter with average power. He drives the ball well to all fields but could improve his pull-side power. Considering he is a true shortstop with plus capabilities at the position thanks to his range, play-making ability and arm, that makes for quite an intriguing tool set.
  
  The Future: Ortiz's defensive versatility and ability to play shortstop give him a utility floor, but his offensive progress makes an everyday role likely if he can sustain it. Ortiz likely needs more time at Triple-A before a major league debut, but not much time if he continues hitting.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #16 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Ortiz starred at New Mexico State at third base as a freshman and then for two years as a standout shortstop whose advanced glove was enough to get him drafted early on the second day in 2019. Ortiz added nearly 30 pounds of muscle and remade his swing during the 2020 shutdown to add a big league offensive profile to go with his glove. He was one of the Orioles’ breakout prospects before requiring surgery to repair a torn left labrum.
  
  Scouting Report: By adding loft to his swing and catching the ball out front to elevate it more consistently, Ortiz took what was a meek offensive skill set and created the potential to be an average hitter with fringe-average power. He cut his groundball rate by nearly 12% from 2019 to 2021. Despite bulking up and increasing his ability to impact the ball more consistently, Ortiz didn’t lose much of his defensive promise. He primarily played shortstop, where he can at least be above-average, with the range for second and the arm for third when he played there.
  
  The Future: There’s always a major league role for a true shortstop, but Ortiz could be a big league regular because of his improved offensive profile. He didn’t spend much time at Double-A Bowie before his injury, and should return there in 2022.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #258 prospect in 2019 draft
  It's all about the glove for Ortiz, who many scouts project to have a long professional career because he plays shortstop so well. He's a plus defender with good actions in the field and is regarded as a very hard worker. His tick below-average to average arm plays up because he's fast with his exchange and gets rid of the ball quickly. Ortiz is on the smaller side at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, and he makes limited impact when he connects. He has good bat-to-ball skills, however, and makes consistent contact at the plate. Ortiz is no more than an average runner, but his reputation as an impact defender at a premium position should get him drafted on Day 2.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #63 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #95 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Drafted out of the friendly offensive environment of New Mexico State, Ortiz was an early second-day pick in 2019 mostly because of his elite traits at shortstop. The pandemic allowed him to address his offensive shortcomings. He added nearly 30 pounds of muscle to his frame and leveraged his swing toward elevated contact. His breakout was cut short in 2021 due to a torn left labrum that required surgery, and he struggled in the first half of 2022 before a breakout that brought him to Triple-A Norfolk. From July 1 to the end of the season, Ortiz hit .352/.416/.610 and led the minor leagues with 101 hits, 68 runs and 175 total bases. His 1.026 OPS ranked seventh in that time.
  
  Scouting Report: Ortiz always boasted exceptional contact ability--he only whiffed 7.4% of the time in 2022, best in the organization--but the quality of contact wavered early in the year as he struggled to come back from his lead shoulder injury. By adjusting his hand placement to allow him to get to a better launch position and focusing more on the areas where he can drive the ball as opposed to just making contact, Ortiz started producing elite exit velocities. His adjustments and improvements raised his offensive capabilities to potentially an above-average hitter with average power. He drives the ball well to all fields but could improve his pull-side power. Considering he is a true shortstop with plus capabilities at the position thanks to his range, play-making ability and arm, that makes for quite an intriguing tool set.
  
  The Future: Ortiz's defensive versatility and ability to play shortstop give him a utility floor, but his offensive progress makes an everyday role likely if he can sustain it. Ortiz likely needs more time at Triple-A before a major league debut, but not much time if he continues hitting.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Drafted out of the friendly offensive environment of New Mexico State, Ortiz was an early second-day pick in 2019 mostly because of his elite traits at shortstop. The pandemic allowed him to address his offensive shortcomings. He added nearly 30 pounds of muscle to his frame and leveraged his swing toward elevated contact. His breakout was cut short in 2021 due to a torn left labrum that required surgery, and he struggled in the first half of 2022 before a breakout that brought him to Triple-A Norfolk. From July 1 to the end of the season, Ortiz hit .352/.416/.610 and led the minor leagues with 101 hits, 68 runs and 175 total bases. His 1.026 OPS ranked seventh in that time.
  
  Scouting Report: Ortiz always boasted exceptional contact ability--he only whiffed 7.4% of the time in 2022, best in the organization--but the quality of contact wavered early in the year as he struggled to come back from his lead shoulder injury. By adjusting his hand placement to allow him to get to a better launch position and focusing more on the areas where he can drive the ball as opposed to just making contact, Ortiz started producing elite exit velocities. His adjustments and improvements raised his offensive capabilities to potentially an above-average hitter with average power. He drives the ball well to all fields but could improve his pull-side power. Considering he is a true shortstop with plus capabilities at the position thanks to his range, play-making ability and arm, that makes for quite an intriguing tool set.
  
  The Future: Ortiz's defensive versatility and ability to play shortstop give him a utility floor, but his offensive progress makes an everyday role likely if he can sustain it. Ortiz likely needs more time at Triple-A before a major league debut, but not much time if he continues hitting.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Ortiz starred at New Mexico State at third base as a freshman and then for two years as a standout shortstop whose advanced glove was enough to get him drafted early on the second day in 2019. Ortiz added nearly 30 pounds of muscle and remade his swing during the 2020 shutdown to add a big league offensive profile to go with his glove. He was one of the Orioles&#39 breakout prospects before requiring surgery to repair a torn left labrum.
  
  Scouting Report: By adding loft to his swing and catching the ball out front to elevate it more consistently, Ortiz took what was a meek offensive skill set and created the potential to be an average hitter with fringe-average power. He cut his groundball rate by nearly 12% from 2019 to 2021. Despite bulking up and increasing his ability to impact the ball more consistently, Ortiz didn&#39t lose much of his defensive promise. He primarily played shortstop, where he can at least be above-average, with the range for second and the arm for third when he played there.
  
  The Future: There&#39s always a major league role for a true shortstop, but Ortiz could be a big league regular because of his improved offensive profile. He didn&#39t spend much time at Double-A Bowie before his injury, and should return there in 2022.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Ortiz starred at New Mexico State at third base as a freshman and then for two years as a standout shortstop whose advanced glove was enough to get him drafted early on the second day in 2019. Ortiz added nearly 30 pounds of muscle and remade his swing during the 2020 shutdown to add a big league offensive profile to go with his glove. He was one of the Orioles’ breakout prospects before requiring surgery to repair a torn left labrum.
  
  Scouting Report: By adding loft to his swing and catching the ball out front to elevate it more consistently, Ortiz took what was a meek offensive skill set and created the potential to be an average hitter with fringe-average power. He cut his groundball rate by nearly 12% from 2019 to 2021. Despite bulking up and increasing his ability to impact the ball more consistently, Ortiz didn’t lose much of his defensive promise. He primarily played shortstop, where he can at least be above-average, with the range for second and the arm for third when he played there.
  
  The Future: There’s always a major league role for a true shortstop, but Ortiz could be a big league regular because of his improved offensive profile. He didn’t spend much time at Double-A Bowie before his injury, and should return there in 2022.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Ortiz was drafted as a plus defender out of New Mexico State in 2019, but his bat took a step forward this season prior to him going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Ortiz hit for more power and got on base at a higher rate this season between High-A and Double-A.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  It's all about the glove for Ortiz, who many scouts project to have a long professional career because he plays shortstop so well. He's a plus defender with good actions in the field and is regarded as a very hard worker. His tick below-average to average arm plays up because he's fast with his exchange and gets rid of the ball quickly. Ortiz is on the smaller side at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, and he makes limited impact when he connects. He has good bat-to-ball skills, however, and makes consistent contact at the plate. Ortiz is no more than an average runner, but his reputation as an impact defender at a premium position should get him drafted on Day 2.