The life of a journeyman baseball player means one can never get too comfortable in one place, and right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz knows that all too well.
Ortiz, once a first-round pick for the Texas Rangers in 2014, has played for seven organizations, including three at the major league level. He knew he wouldn’t pitch in the majors last year, as he underwent Tommy John surgery and signed with the New York Mets, hoping to rehab for a year and hit the ground running this season.
However, just two weeks before spring training was slated to begin, the Mets decided there was no longer room for Ortiz on the organizational depth chart.
According to the official transactions log on his MLB.com roster page, Ortiz was released by the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate on Tuesday. Assuming the 30-year-old is still progressing in his rehab, he can sign with any club and may be able to compete for a spot on the roster during spring training.
In five partial seasons of major league action, Ortiz has only seen 24 appearances, most recently with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024. He is on a string of rotten injury luck, as he spent nearly the entire 2024 season on the injured list with a left ankle sprain prior to the Tommy John surgery, which took place in July of that year.
In his best season, 2023, Ortiz allowed seven earned runs and struck out 16 batters in 19 innings for the Phillies. He also posted a 4.60 ERA in 45 innings in Triple-A that year, however.
It’s been a long time since Ortiz was considered a top prospect. He was traded for two major leaguers of note before his debut: Jonathan Lucroy and Jonathan Schoop. But that pedigree could still earn him another look from an organization this year on a minor-league deal.
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