Luis Ortiz

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #4 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Ortiz was one of the Pirates' best player development success stories in 2022. They initially signed him for just $25,000 as a 19-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in October 2018. Even a year ago, Ortiz operated in relative obscurity while striking out 30% of hitters for Low-A Bradenton, benefiting from his work with pitching coach Fernando Nieve as he improved throughout the season. Pittsburgh jumped him to Double-A Altoona to begin 2022. Ortiz took off from there, zooming through the upper levels before making his MLB debut on Sept. 13, when he became the first Pirates starter to throw 100 mph since Gerrit Cole in 2015.
  
  Scouting Report: Power oozes from Ortiz's operation. He has a starter's build at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and is one of the hardest throwers in Pittsburgh's system, and he does it without overwhelming effort in his delivery. He averages 96.5 mph on his four-seamer. He also throws a two-seamer that touches 99 mph and befuddles righthanded hitters. The Pirates worked with Ortiz to create more distinction between the two fastballs and he became more comfortable deploying both in the second half of 2022. Ortiz also enhanced his upper-80s slider, throwing it harder with more vertical break. It's now easily a plus offering and his best swing-and-miss pitch. Ortiz trusted his solid-average changeup more, though it performs better against righthanded batters. He repeats his delivery well enough to suggest playable future command. The next step is adding polish, specifically around game-planning and sequencing.
  
  The Future: Ortiz owns one of the system's most tantalizing pitch mixes and has a shot to win a spot in the big league rotation in 2023. He has midrotation potential.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 45

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #74 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Ortiz was one of the Pirates' best player development success stories in 2022. They initially signed him for just $25,000 as a 19-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in October 2018. Even a year ago, Ortiz operated in relative obscurity while striking out 30% of hitters for Low-A Bradenton, benefiting from his work with pitching coach Fernando Nieve as he improved throughout the season. Pittsburgh jumped him to Double-A Altoona to begin 2022. Ortiz took off from there, zooming through the upper levels before making his MLB debut on Sept. 13, when he became the first Pirates starter to throw 100 mph since Gerrit Cole in 2015.
  
  Scouting Report: Power oozes from Ortiz's operation. He has a starter's build at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and is one of the hardest throwers in Pittsburgh's system, and he does it without overwhelming effort in his delivery. He averages 96.5 mph on his four-seamer. He also throws a two-seamer that touches 99 mph and befuddles righthanded hitters. The Pirates worked with Ortiz to create more distinction between the two fastballs and he became more comfortable deploying both in the second half of 2022. Ortiz also enhanced his upper-80s slider, throwing it harder with more vertical break. It's now easily a plus offering and his best swing-and-miss pitch. Ortiz trusted his solid-average changeup more, though it performs better against righthanded batters. He repeats his delivery well enough to suggest playable future command. The next step is adding polish, specifically around game-planning and sequencing.
  
  The Future: Ortiz owns one of the system's most tantalizing pitch mixes and has a shot to win a spot in the big league rotation in 2023. He has midrotation potential.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 45
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Ortiz was one of the Pirates' best player development success stories in 2022. They initially signed him for just $25,000 as a 19-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in October 2018. Even a year ago, Ortiz operated in relative obscurity while striking out 30% of hitters for Low-A Bradenton, benefiting from his work with pitching coach Fernando Nieve as he improved throughout the season. Pittsburgh jumped him to Double-A Altoona to begin 2022. Ortiz took off from there, zooming through the upper levels before making his MLB debut on Sept. 13, when he became the first Pirates starter to throw 100 mph since Gerrit Cole in 2015.
  
  Scouting Report: Power oozes from Ortiz's operation. He has a starter's build at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and is one of the hardest throwers in Pittsburgh's system, and he does it without overwhelming effort in his delivery. He averages 96.5 mph on his four-seamer. He also throws a two-seamer that touches 99 mph and befuddles righthanded hitters. The Pirates worked with Ortiz to create more distinction between the two fastballs and he became more comfortable deploying both in the second half of 2022. Ortiz also enhanced his upper-80s slider, throwing it harder with more vertical break. It's now easily a plus offering and his best swing-and-miss pitch. Ortiz trusted his solid-average changeup more, though it performs better against righthanded batters. He repeats his delivery well enough to suggest playable future command. The next step is adding polish, specifically around game-planning and sequencing.
  
  The Future: Ortiz owns one of the system's most tantalizing pitch mixes and has a shot to win a spot in the big league rotation in 2023. He has midrotation potential.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 45
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  May Update: Perhaps the most improved pitcher in the Pirates&#39 system, Ortiz was skipped over High-A entirely in favor of an assignment at Double-A Altoona. His fastball sits in the upper 90s and is backed up by an interesting pair of offspeed pitches in his slider and changeup. The next steps for Ortiz involve improving his command and learning how best to sequence his repertoire.There is still some rawness to his operation, but the Pirates believe they are polishing a potential gem.