Drafted in the 9th round (259th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2001.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Cortez is a classic example of a player whose sum is greater than his individual tools. A product of the talent-rich San Diego area, he combines baseball savvy and instincts with impressive makeup and work ethic. He was the Pacific Coast Conference player of the year in 2001 at Grossmont JC, where Marcus Giles won the same award in 1997. Cortez has a compact stroke and the ability to drive the ball. He needs to improve his strike-zone judgment and patience. His speed is just fringe average, though he runs very aggressively. A good defensive second baseman, Cortez has sure hands and turns the double play well. His season ended in July when he hurt his left knee, but the Devil Rays still honored him as their Double-A player of the year. They like the way Cortez plays under control and never appears to be overwhelmed by the speed of the game, which has helped him with adjustments to higher levels. Not far from contributing in the majors, he'll begin the 2005 season in Triple-A.
Best Tools List
Rated Best Defensive 2B in the Southern League in 2005
Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the Tampa Bay Rays in 2005
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