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Nationals' Abimelec Ortiz: Powering up at Triple-A
Rotowire
Ortiz has hit safely in seven straight games for Triple-A Rochester, batting .333 (10-for-30) with seven home runs and 20 RBI during that stretch.
The 24-year-old first baseman is decimating the International League to close out May as he turns things around following a sluggish start to the season. At the end of April, Ortiz carried a .231/.375/.352 slash line with just one homer in 27 games. If he keeps swinging a hot bat, he could slug his way into the Nationals' 1B/DH picture over the summer.
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Nationals' Abimelec Ortiz: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Nationals optioned Ortiz to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday.
Ortiz was part of the haul the Nationals received from the Rangers in the MacKenzie Gore trade over the winter. The 24-year-old Ortiz will have to wait to make his MLB debut. He slashed .257/.356/.479 with 25 home runs, 89 RBI and 85 runs scored across 130 games at Double-A and Triple-A last season but struggled during spring training, hitting .136 with a .478 OPS across 27 trips to the plate.
The Rangers traded Ortiz, Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario (elbow), Devin Fitz-Gerald (shoulder) and Yeremy Cabrera to the Nationals on Thursday in exchange for MacKenzie Gore, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Ortiz split time between Double-A and Triple-A last year, slashing .257/.356/.479 with 25 homers, 89 RBI and 85 runs scored between the two levels. The 23-year-old first baseman was awarded a 40-man roster spot in November and will now presumably compete with Andres Chaparro for the starting job in Washington.
Rangers' Abimelec Ortiz: Selected to 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Rangers selected Ortiz's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday.
Ortiz's offensive production took off once he reached Triple-A and the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in early August, as he slashed .283/.388/.565 with nine homers, 33 RBI and 32 runs scored in just 41 games at Round Rock. The 23-year-old will receive a 40-man roster spot and protection from the Rule 5 Draft following his late-season surge, and his ability to play first base and right field will boost his chances of reaching the majors at some point in 2026.
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Rangers' Abimelec Ortiz: Power, Ks at Triple-A
Rotowire
Ortiz is slashing .269/.370/.538 with six home runs and a 28.3 percent strikeout rate in 23 games for Triple-A Round Rock.
The lefty slugger's production has been 20 percent better than the average Pacific Coast League hitter in his first taste of the highest level of the minors. Ortiz, 23, repeated Double-A this year and slashed .247/.343/.444 with 16 home runs and a 22.3 percent strikeout rate in 89 games for Frisco before getting promoted to the Express on Aug. 5. He has started seven games in right field and 15 games at first base since getting to Triple-A. Texas will need to add Ortiz to the 40-man roster this offseason or leave him exposed to the Rule 5 draft.
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