2021 Orioles #19 Prospect - Joey Ortiz - SS/INF

[LookinUp]

On 1/25/2022 at 7:00 PM, RZNJ said:

In an interview, Gunnar Henderson was asked what prospect we should know about.  He singled out Joey Ortiz and sounded if he was very impressed by Ortiz all around play.    Ortiz is the one player who most scouts say is most likely to be a true shortstop defensively.   If the offense he began to show last year continues this year, it would be a big boost to the systems overall quality.

The only thing tempering my opinion on Ortiz, to be honest, is the fact that Tony didn't raise him MUCH farther up the list.

True SS whose hit tool took a big step forward in action this year. What's not to like?

I don't exactly know the answer, but there are still doubts about his offense is my guess. I honestly wanted him closer to the top 10. For example, if the hit tool is good, he would be above Norby in my book, and I like Norby.

So I figure I'm missing something.

[Hazmat]

1 hour ago, LookinUp said:

The only thing tempering my opinion on Ortiz, to be honest, is the fact that Tony didn't raise him MUCH farther up the list.

True SS whose hit tool took a big step forward in action this year. What's not to like?

I don't exactly know the answer, but there are still doubts about his offense is my guess. I honestly wanted him closer to the top 10. For example, if the hit tool is good, he would be above Norby in my book, and I like Norby.

So I figure I'm missing something.

I think Tony, like the rest of us, would have liked to have seen him play in more than just 35 games last year.

[Tony-OH]

20 hours ago, LookinUp said:

The only thing tempering my opinion on Ortiz, to be honest, is the fact that Tony didn't raise him MUCH farther up the list.

True SS whose hit tool took a big step forward in action this year. What's not to like?

I don't exactly know the answer, but there are still doubts about his offense is my guess. I honestly wanted him closer to the top 10. For example, if the hit tool is good, he would be above Norby in my book, and I like Norby.

So I figure I'm missing something.

Well the injury didn't help him cement his prospect status so really what we have is 156 of decent offensive output at A+ and AA as a 22 year old. Now there's nothing wrong with that, but while I too hard about his improvements strength wise, I need to see a year of production at higher levels to really cement his prospect status because he really doesn't bring any plus tools to the field.

So basically he's where he's at because it's unclear to me whether he's a potential everyday guy or utility guy.

[glenn__davis]

14 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Well the injury didn't help him cement his prospect status so really what we have is 156 of decent offensive output at A+ and AA as a 22 year old. Now there's nothing wrong with that, but while I too hard about his improvements strength wise, I need to see a year of production at higher levels to really cement his prospect status because he really doesn't bring any plus tools to the field.

So basically he's where he's at because it's unclear to me whether he's a potential everyday guy or utility guy.

I've read other scouting reports that have said that Ortiz is one of the best defensive SS prospects we have if not the best.  That didn't really seem to jive with what I had read on here and abvoe you say he "doesn't bring any plus tools to the field."  Are you referring to his defense there as well?

[Just Regular]

The big unknown for me on the outside (and if the Orioles are knowing this kind of thing in detail, which I hope they are, we'll never know, nor should we #HIPAA) is did he wreck his shoulder because he was bulking up to sting the ball better?   So entering this year I hope for health, and that his defensive work looks like 100% shortstop, because even without powering up i think he has a shot to outhit the Richie Martins and Jorge Mateos of the world.

If he becomes a nugget I think it will be more with the Cadyn Grenier things than the Miguel Tejada things.   I get any young SS wanting to do both, then you're Carlos Correa.

[Tony-OH]

32 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

I've read other scouting reports that have said that Ortiz is one of the best defensive SS prospects we have if not the best.  That didn't really seem to jive with what I had read on here and abvoe you say he "doesn't bring any plus tools to the field."  Are you referring to his defense there as well?

I do think Ortiz is among the best defensive SS in the system, but I don't feel he's a plus shortstop though the hands might be plus. He brings average SS tools across the board for me. I do think they bump up to plus range and arm at 2B though.
 

Grenier is the best defensive SS in the system, but he's got a ways to go with the bat, especially hitting offpseed pitches. 

I like what I saw from Ortiz last year in his limited play, but just need to see it over an entire season at AA and higher. I think next year will be a big year for him to show he's an everyday guy or more of a utility. His bat and health will determine that.

[LookinUp]

I'll say this...I'd be a huge hypocrite to disagree with Tony re: Ortiz. That is based solely on the small sample size issue.

I've been on my soap box going back at least to Xavier Avery about not over reacting to small sample size success. More recently I've harped on people drawing any favorable conclusions about Ryan McKenna's bat. For some reason I want to draw more favorable conclusions about Ortiz. It really does make sense to temper expectations while waiting for him to put a few months together.