Danny Ortiz, a hitter who tore it up in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (LMB) this season, will be on his way to Venezuela this winter as he will suit up with the Leones del Caracas. Ortiz will play during the first month of the season in Venezuela.
The 34-year-old outfielder was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The Minnesota Twins drafted him in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB Draft. He would spend his first nine professional seasons throughout the Twins and Pirates affiliates before making his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2017. He only played nine games, tallying just one hit in 12 at-bats.
He spent the 2018 season in the Phillies organization, playing 118 games in Triple-A. After the season, he was released and made the transition into the LMB, joining the Pericos de Puebla.
Last winter, Ortiz played winter baseball in Puerto Rico with the Indios de Mayaguez. He played in 41 games, hitting .243 with three home runs and driving in 14 RBIs. Ortiz has played winter baseball with Mayaguez since the 2010-11 season.
For the 2024 season, Ortiz saw an increase in his power compared to the 2023 season. Playing in 89 games with the Pericos, Ortiz crushed 28 home runs, driving in 77 RBIs and hitting .283 for the season.
This will be Ortiz’s first winter playing baseball in Venezuela, as he will play with the Caracas for the first month of the season. It will be interesting to see if Ortiz will head back to his hometown, Puerto Rico, and gear up for his 15th season for the Indios de Mayaguez.
Photo Credit: Danny Ortiz #77 of Pericos de Puebla celebrating after connect a home run during the Diablos Rojos del México v Pericos de Puebla match. (Photo by Carlos Santiago/Eyepix Group/LightRocket via Getty Images)
