Joe Ortiz

On August 28, 2006, Ortiz signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent.[1] He made his professional debut in 2007 with the Dominican Summer League Rangers. In 2008, Ortiz split the season between the AZL Rangers and the Single-A Clinton LumberKings, posting a 1.91 ERA in 24 games. He split the 2009 season between the Low-A Spokane Indians and the Single-A Hickory Crawdads, pitching to a cumulative 3.38 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 42.2 innings of work. The following season, Ortiz split the year between Hickory and the High-A Bakersfield Blaze, where he recorded a 4-1 record and 1.62 ERA in 28 appearances. For the 2011 season, Ortiz played with the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, logging a 5-5 record and 2.15 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 67.0 innings pitched. In 2012, Ortiz split the year between the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and the Triple-A Round Rock Express, accumulating a 2-3 record and 2.15 ERA in 51 appearances between the two teams.[2]

Ortiz made the Texas Rangers' Opening Day roster in 2013.[3] He made his MLB debut on March 31, 2013, pitching 1 inning against the Houston Astros, striking out 2 and allowing 1 earned run. He split the 2013 season between Round Rock and Texas, recording a 2-2 record and 4.23 ERA in 32 big league games. Ortiz did not appear in a big league game in 2014, spending most of the season on the disabled list or with Frisco and the AZL Rangers.[4]

On October 6, 2014, Ortiz was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.[5] He was assigned to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs to begin the 2015 season. Ortiz was released by the Cubs organization on August 14, 2015, after registering a 5.24 ERA in 38 games with Iowa.[6]

On February 20, 2017, Ortiz signed with the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League. Ortiz pitched to a 4-3 record and 5.19 ERA in 19 games with Joliet before he was released by the team on August 12.[7]