Blue Jays may have found a diamond in the rough in Willy Ortiz

The Toronto Blue Jays designed an beneath the radar signing that did not garner substantially focus back in December, however, it is a person that could shell out dividends in the foreseeable future.

On December 10th, 2018 the Blue Jays inked 23-calendar year aged pitcher Willy Ortiz to a minor-league pact with an invitation to spring schooling, not a bad prospect for a child who hasn’t pitched past Substantial-A ball.

The native of the Dominican Republic was an International signing of the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2012. Ortiz would debut professionally as a 16-calendar year aged and invest the next a few seasons in the Dominican Summer season League.

In 2018, Ortiz pitched in Substantial-A with the Charlotte Stone Crabs making 18 appearances, 14 of which had been commences. Ortiz boasted a 6-2 history with a 3.74 acquired operate average when fanning 73 in 84.1 innings of function. He also represented the Stone Crabs in the 2018 Florida Condition League All-Star Recreation final year.

The young hurler would skip the remaining two months of the year with an injuries ahead of electing absolutely free agency in November. While he will probably begin the year in Double-A New Hampshire, the Blue Jays assigned Ortiz to Triple-A Buffalo in the interim.

Ortiz athletics an outstanding 33-10 history with a 3.26 acquired operate average in 83 vocation games including 66 commences. Not a bad stat line for a minimal-risk MILB signing.

The lanky proper-hander attributes a mid to superior nineties fastball coupled with a minimal 80’s slider and a changeup in his repertoire. While the Jays have been reasonably peaceful this offseason they have designed some awesome superior-upside additions in Ortiz and Elvis Luciano.

Luciano is ranked 28th by MLB.com on the Blue Jays Top 30 organizational prospect rankings, when Ortiz has however to make the record. We will get a 1st-hand appear at both of those youngsters when spring schooling breaks in considerably less than a thirty day period, of training course, Luciano has to continue being on the active 25-male roster thanks to the Rule 5 stipulations.

The Ortiz signing went fully unnoticed but has the potential to shell out massive dividends for the rebuilding Jays in the extremely in close proximity to foreseeable future.