Joey Ortiz 2022

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, baltfan said:

He will be on Law’s list. He loves him

Yeah, looks like Law had a good read on Ortiz.  I believe he had Ortiz 7th on our pre-2022 prospect list and said he could be our starting SS by August.  

[RZNJ]

Pet project?   Law was high on him.  Tony says plus defense at SS, gold glove caliber at 2B.   The was 20 when drafted in 2019.   The only reason he was old for AA was COVID wiping out a year.  He started the year at 23 after missing a full year in 2020 and most of 2021 to the labrum injury.  You guys who keep using the age card just don’t get it.   
 

 

[jabba72]

3 hours ago, RZNJ said:

This could be 3 months consecutive with an OPS over 1.000.   His plate discipline numbers at AAA are very solid.  It’s amazing there isn’t more excitement for what he’s doing and anticipation for what he offers the 2023 Orioles.   Rutschman didn’t do this. Henderson didn’t do this.  Ortiz last 2 1/2 months are off the charts and in addition he’s reportedly a premium defensive middle IF.   This is his first full season in the minors.  How can so few posters be excited about this guy?

Because Ortiz is a 4th round pick and SS has some other options at the moment. If this was 2019 and Martin was still the SS, im guessing fans would be excited. He's right on the doorstep though. I think moving Mateo out of SS might be difficult. 

[RZNJ]

Just now, jabba72 said:

Because Ortiz is a 4th round pick and SS has some other options at the moment. If this was 2019 and Martin was still the SS, im guessing fans would be excited. He's right on the doorstep though. I think moving Mateo out of SS might be difficult. 

I am ok with Mateo at SS and Ortiz at 2B.  With Gunnar at 3B that is potentially one of the best defensive infields in baseball.   Urías gets moved or is asked to be a super sub.   That works but Mateo could go either way offensively.  If he continues to think he’s a power hitting pull hitter his offense will cancel out much of his defense.  If they can get him back into July mode, he’s very valuable.

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Pet project?   Law was high on him.  Tony says plus defense at SS, gold glove caliber at 2B.   The was 20 when drafted in 2019.   The only reason he was old for AA was COVID wiping out a year.  He started the year at 23 after missing a full year in 2020 and most of 2021 to the labrum injury.  You guys who keep using the age card just don’t get it.   
 

 

Just because those things happened doesn’t mean he’s not 24.

Age matters but in this case, it doesn’t matter to the point of questioning his status as a prospect because of what has happened to him in years past.  It just matters to an overall thought of how long will his likely peak be and things like that.

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Sports Guy

[MurphDogg]

41 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

Because Ortiz is a 4th round pick and SS has some other options at the moment. If this was 2019 and Martin was still the SS, im guessing fans would be excited. He's right on the doorstep though. I think moving Mateo out of SS might be difficult. 

Mateo is arbitration eligible this off-season so there will soon be a financial aspect as well.

I would rather trade Mateo, put the $2-3M that Mateo will make over the minimum salary towards a free agent starting pitcher, and roll with Urias, Henderson, Vavra, Ortiz and Westburg in the mix for 2nd, SS, 3B and utility going into spring training, with the possibility that all 5 make the Opening Day roster, or one of the latter 3 ends up in AAA.

If the other 4 players look like solid options at the 4 spots, trade Urias before he reaches arbitration eligibility after the 2023 season. By then Mayo and Norby could be in the mix with Holliday close behind and guys like Wagner, Young and Bencosme hopefully making cases for themselves as well.

Edited September 15, 2022 by MurphDogg

[Sports Guy]

Mateo as part of a trade to the Marlins makes sense.  

[Can_of_corn]

I'd like Ortiz to play some winter ball, see if he can build on this hot stretch.

[RZNJ]

14 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'd like Ortiz to play some winter ball, see if he can build on this hot stretch.

Winter ball typically doesn’t prove much of anything but it probably couldn’t hurt.

[Hank Scorpio]

37 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Just because those things happened doesn’t mean he’s not 24.

Age matters but in this case, it doesn’t matter to the point of questioning his status as a prospect because of what has happened to him in years past.  It just matters to an overall thought of how long will his likely peak be and things like that.

 

He's 24 and really coming into his own offensively, which is something he did not do prior (likely due to the shoulder & inexperience / lack of immersion into the system.) 

There's a lot to like with Ortiz. I believe he could be more valuable than Mateo next year - even though he's only had 60 AB @ Norfolk.

[RVAOsFan]

59 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I am ok with Mateo at SS and Ortiz at 2B.  With Gunnar at 3B that is potentially one of the best defensive infields in baseball.   Urías gets moved or is asked to be a super sub.   That works but Mateo could go either way offensively.  If he continues to think he’s a power hitting pull hitter his offense will cancel out much of his defense.  If they can get him back into July mode, he’s very valuable.

With Mountcastle at first that would be 4 guys who all started pro ball as short stops.  Depending on what the OF shapes up to look like next year and Adley behind the plate possibly the best overall defense in baseball?

[nvpacchi]

MASN interviewed Joey Ortiz a month ago, and there were two telling answers he gave that should be encouraging that this is more than a flash in a pan three month run.

1. He talked about how the shoulder injury, while not preventing him from playing, was still a hindrance in the early part of the season that is a continuing work in progress to heal from

2. He mentions a swing adjustment to get the ball in the air more.  Obvious change in approach that can be built on.  I saw somewhere, but I can't remember where, but Keith Law said that he overhauled his swing going into this year too.

 

[btdart20]

Ortiz being a 4th rounder and missing some time definitely limits his national exposure.  That doesn't impact reality, just perception/market value. I'll be interesting to see how they adjust this off-season. 

To go back to the 'trade with MIA' well, Ortiz or Kahlil Watson?  Ortiz and it's not close for me.  And I was on the Watson wagon in the draft a few years back...

[RZNJ]

36 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

With Mountcastle at first that would be 4 guys who all started pro ball as short stops.  Depending on what the OF shapes up to look like next year and Adley behind the plate possibly the best overall defense in baseball?

Mountcastle played SS but he wasn’t a SS.   The other 3 could legitimately play an average or better SS most likely.   I will accept whatever the stats say but I don’t feel Mountcastle is better than ok at 1B. Now, Westburg at 1B eventually could give you Al elite defensive IF IMO.  
 

The only chance of the OF being really good would be Cowser in one corner with McKenna/Phillips in the other flanking Cedric.

[RZNJ]

13 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

Ortiz being a 4th rounder and missing some time definitely limits his national exposure.  That doesn't impact reality, just perception/market value. I'll be interesting to see how they adjust this off-season. 

To go back to the 'trade with MIA' well, Ortiz or Kahlil Watson?  Ortiz and it's not close for me.  And I was on the Watson wagon in the draft a few years back...

Was it a choice?  Kahlil Watson is only 19 BUT he had 127 strikeouts and 27 walks in 358 PA in low A this year.  That’s worrisome if you’re a Marlin fan.

Edited September 15, 2022 by RZNJ