Joe Ortiz (minors)

Joseph Manuel Ortiz

• Bats: Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 195 lb.
• School University of the Pacific
• High School Lodi (CA) High School

• Born December 14, 1964 in Palo Alto, CA USA
• Died March 7, 2014 in Lodi, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Catcher Joe Ortiz played in the minor leagues from 1987 to 1990, never reaching above High-A ball.

Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth round of the 1987 amateur draft - a few picks after Marty Cordova - Ortiz stole 14 bases in 16 tries in his first season, with the Helena Brewers. He hit .241/.292/.304 as the backup catcher to Dave Nilsson, fielding .985. 1988 was the best year of his career, as he hit .235/.287/.337 with 19 doubles, 74 hits and 11 steals (in 22 tries) for the independent Reno Silver Sox; he had 22 errors and 29 passed balls in 80 games as their primary backstop. He didn't lead the California League's catchers in either department, though as Andy Skeels had one more error and both Tim McIntosh and Skeels had more passed balls. He then hit .228/.248/.257 between the Beloit Brewers (.231/.241/.269 in 19 G), Southern Oregon A's (2 for 14, BB) and Modesto A's (9 for 35, 2B, BB, 15 K) in 1989 (joining the Oakland Athletics system partway through the year) and in 1990, he hit .333 in six at-bats for Modesto.

Overall, he hit .236/.281/.315 with 126 hits in 184 games.

He later coached youth athletics. He died on March 7, 2014 at age 49 of a brain clot and hemorrhage.