5 Baltimore Orioles prospects who should debut in 2023

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Joey Ortiz

An injury cut his 2021 season short, and he started off the following year slow, but Ortiz broke out in a big way in the minors last season. From July 1st through the end of the season, Ortiz slashed .352/.416/.610 with a 1.026 OPS and 15 HR between AA and AAA. He had just a .596 OPS before warming up.

At 24, Ortiz is a mature hitter with a solid plate approach. While he had just an 8.3 BB% last season, he also had an exceptional 16.3 K%. He did this while displaying contact, a .284 AVG that rose to .352 during his hot streak, and power, with 35 doubles and 19 home runs. Sure, you'd expect a 23-year-old to play well at Double-A, but Ortiz improved his own game while coming off a serious injury. His personal improvements are very encouraging to see.

Ortiz has spent most of his amateur and pro career at SS with a bit of time at 2B and 3B. At his floor, Ortiz is a utility man who can play great defense across his infield, giving him a place on the major league team. At his best, Ortiz could become the team's starting shortstop. He'll likely spend a good portion of the season down in Triple-A, but he could have a role on the team later this summer as a utility man, even if Jorge Mateo doesn't yield the starting shortstop job.

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