In the first five years of his career, Ortiz didn't endear himself to the organization with his maturity level or his performance. He didn't get past Rookie ball until late in the 2001 season, after missing the majority of 2000-01 with back and knee strains. But in 2002, he became a leader for the system's young Latin American players. His fastball ranges from 89- 94 mph and averages 90-92 with occasional boring action from a high three-quarters release point. He has a good curveball, with 12-to-6 downward bite. His best pitch is a straight change with late fade. He still needs to solve lefthanders, who batted .286 against him in 2002. After all the injuries over the last couple of years, Ortiz was a workhorse in 2002, leading the organization with 177 innings. With command of three quality pitches, he should advance more rapidly now. He's ticketed for the Double-A rotation after finishing strong in high Class A. Some scouts project him as a middle reliever in the big leagues.
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