LA Angels top 10 prospects in Single-A are sizzling!!!

#8 Oliver Ortega – RHP International Signing in 2015 from the Dominican Republic.

Oliver Ortega is the first International player on this top 10 list and it is for good reason. Ortega can bring it as high as 98 MPH, but usually sits in the 94-96 MPH range.

Ortega has been used both as a starter and a reliever in Single-A Inland Empire.  Ortega like Warren was chosen to pitch in the Single-A All-Star Game and was the only Sixers pitcher to throw a clean inning of work giving up no hits and striking out two batters.

Ortega has started 10 games for the Sixers and has a 2-3 record with a 3.26 ERA with one save as well.  He has pitched 58 innings with 74 strikeouts and 33 walks which led to a WHIP of 1.29. Opponents are only batting .203 against Ortega.

He has a good presence on the mound and doesn’t get flustered easily on the mound even when things don’t goes his way. One particular evening when I was out in San Bernardino Ortega was brought in during the 6th inning of a tie game against division-leading Rancho Cucamonga.  In his first inning of work two errors were made and a couple of bloop hits led to three runs for the Quakes.

Ortega could have fallen apart, but he got out of the inning with no more damage, then pitched three flawless innings to finish the game and help keep his team in the game.  That showed the intestinal fortitude that you like to see from a young hurler.

Ortega could be called up very shortly from what I have been hearing and we will see how he does in Mobile.  If he can continue to shine he could be a pitcher the Angels could use even as early as late 2020.