Abimelec Ortiz has been maybe the biggest pop-up prospect this season, going from an non-drafted free agent in 2021 to batting .226 for Low-A Down East last year to an ascendent slugger in 2023.
The 6-foot, 230-pound outfielder started the season back with Down East and took just 29 games to earn a promotion by batting .307 with a .996 OPS and 7 home runs. Ortiz has picked up steam for High-A Hickory by batting .343 with a 1.136 OPS and 11 homers in 29 games.
The Puerto Rico native signed with the Rangers following his freshman season at Florida Southwestern State.
A Caribbean native who immigrated to the US as a teenager and went to a tiny college then destroying both A levels at age 21 … where have we seen that before?
Albert Pujols is a Dominican native who came to the US in high school and was drafted in the 13th round of the 1999 draft out of Maple Woods Community College in Missouri. He put up a .953 OPS with 17 homers in 109 games in Low-A before an .822 OPS with 2 dingers in 21 games in High-A. Pujols appeared in 3 games in Triple-A to finish that 2000 season before heading to the Arizona Fall League. The following spring, he broke camp with the Cardinals and went on to win NL Rookie of the Year on his way to an all-time great career.
Ortiz is putting up even better stats as a 21-year in the two A levels then Pujols did as a 20-year-old. Ortiz could soon continue his meteoric rise in Double-A and we wouldn’t put it past him to get in a few games in Triple-A or reach the Arizona Fall League like Pujols did.
All right, we’re definitely not calling Ortiz the next Pujols, but the similarities are uncanny. At the very least, dynasty owners need to get Ortiz on their mind and see where this goes, because right now it’s a rocket ship.
Ortiz is up to No. 410 on our RotoProspects Top 500 Rankings and as a sneak preview, he’ll be making another move up the list when the next update comes out this Friday.
Abimelec Ortiz is … in the spotlight.