2014 MLB Draft Profile: Luis Ortiz, RHP, Fresno, CA High School

LUIS ORTIZ PROSPECT VIDEO , RHP, SANGER HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2014 (via Steve Fiorindo)

Standing 6’3", 220 LBS, Ortiz is a big-bodied guy. He has cut a lot of weight, around 35-40 LBS, and has maintained the loss. With it, came a velocity increase. He has an easy, repeatable ¾ delivery. He will have to watch his weight and that could cause a problem if he doesn’t maintain it but Bartolo Colon, Carlos Zambrano and David Wells reinforce why that isn’t a make or break issue.

Ortiz fastball comfortably sits 92-94 and tops out at 97. He throws it with a downhill plane that makes it very difficult to hit. Occasionally he leaves the ball up in the zone. He will need to work on consistency. It’s a heavy fastball when he stays on top of it.

He has a breaking ball that can flash plus-plus. It is a dominant, nearly unhittable pitch at times. It has a hard, tight rotation as well as late break. He throws it from 81-86. He commands it well and can throw it to get it over as well as an out pitch. His change is thrown from 82-84 and has some fade and occasional tumble. I've also seen him throw a slower curveball as well as a pitch that looks like a cutter but I haven’t seen either used much.

Ortiz has excellent command for his age, a durable build and potential for two plus pitches. His change should develop to be average for a third. He profiles as a #2 or 3 starter with potential for more. I don’t see a way he’s not a solid back of the rotation starter as long he doesn't get hurt. While he hasn't been on the scouting radar for a long time, I don’t see how he isn't taken in the first round and potentially as early as the early teens.