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Milwaukee Brewers: Scouting Report On RHP Luis Ortiz

By Benjamin Chase

Jul 24, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers fan celebrates after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 24, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers fan celebrates after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports /

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired RHP Luis Ortiz from the Texas Rangers in a deadline deal. What kind of pitcher did they get?

Who Is He?

Luis Ortiz was drafted with the 30th selection of the first round in 2014 by the Texas Rangers from high school in California.

The Rangers started him with their Arizona Rookie League team, and he simply dominated there, making 6 appearances, 5 starts, throwing 13 1/3 innings, with a 2.02 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 3/15 BB/K ratio. The team decided to push their young righty and moved him up to low-A Hickory in the South Atlantic League, an aggressive promotion for a college player in his draft year, let alone a high school player.

Yet, Ortiz thrived, making 3 appearances, one start, going seven innings, with a 1.29 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Overall on the season, he had 20 1/3 innings, a 1.77 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a 6/19 BB/K ratio.

The Rangers sent Ortiz back to Hickory in 2015, and he once again dominated outside of a flexor strain injury that cut his season to only 13 starts. In those 13 starts, he threw 50 innings, allowing a 1.80 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a 9/46 BB/K ratio. The Rangers wanted to get him a bit more work and sent him to the Arizona Fall League, and he threw five innings of relief, allowing one run and striking out three batters while walking only one. Due to this performance, he made all the major top prospect lists this past offseason, ranking #64 at Baseball America, #73 with MLB.com, and #68 with Baseball Prospectus.

Ortiz has simply kept performing this season. He started the season with High Desert in the notoriously hitter-friendly Cal League, and he posted a 2.60 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 27 2/3 innings with a 6/28 BB/K before being promoted to AA Frisco in the Texas League, another hitters’ league. His numbers there weren’t as eye-popping, as he went 4.08 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 39 2/3 innings with a 7/34 BB/K ratio.

Since the trade to Milwaukee, he’s been with Biloxi in the Southern League and looking dominant again, with a 0.73 ERA in 3 starts and 12 1/3 innings, with a 1.14 WHIP. In the midseason rankings, Baseball America had him at #74, Baseball Prospectus moved him up to #48, and MLB.com had him at #59.

Next: Ortiz's scouting report

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