Luis Ortiz (third baseman)

Luis Alberto Ortiz (born May 25, 1970) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman and current hitting coach for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Not to be confused with Luis Ortiz (pitcher).
Luis Ortiz
Texas Rangers – No. 18
Third baseman / Coach
Born: (1970-05-25) May 25, 1970
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: August 31, 1993, for the Boston Red Sox
NPB: 1997, for the Yakult Swallows
Last appearance
MLB: September 28, 1996, for the Texas Rangers
NPB: 1997, for the Yakult Swallows
MLB statistics
Batting average.228
Home runs2
Runs batted in26
NPB statistics
Batting average.172
Home runs0
Runs batted in7
Teams
As player

As coach

Playing career

Ortiz played three seasons at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the 1991 MLB Draft.[1]

In a four-season MLB career, Ortiz was a .228 hitter (33-for-145) with two home runs and 26 RBI in 60 games, including 14 runs, seven doubles and three triples.[2]

Following his majors career, Ortiz played in Japanese baseball with the 1997 Yakult Swallows. He also played in the Red Sox, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Expos and Cardinals minor league systems. (1991–2004).[2]

Coaching career

After retiring from baseball, Ortiz opened a baseball school in Keller, Texas called Swing City.[3] He has published four hitting books (The Natural Hitter Handbook plus three drills books).[4]

Ortiz started his professional coaching career in the Texas Rangers organization as a coach for the Spokane Indians in 2008. He was a roving hitting coordinator in the Texas Rangers system from 2009 through 2011. In 2012, he was promoted to assistant hitting coordinator. Ortiz was let go from the Rangers organization after Tim Purpura was brought in by Nolan Ryan to run the Rangers player development system.[3] He was the Lower Level hitting coordinator and the Cultural Development Coordinator for the Cleveland Indians in 2013. In 2014, Ortiz was promoted to Assistant Field coordinator while performing the role of hitting coordinator. Ortiz joined the San Diego Padres, and from 2015 through 2017, served as their minor league Field and Hitting Coordinator.[3]

San Diego Padres

Ortiz was named the interim major league hitting coach of the San Diego Padres for the final month of the 2017 season, after Alan Zinter was fired.[3]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 1, 2017, Ortiz was hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers to share the dual role of assistant major league hitting coach/minor league hitting coordinator with Brant Brown. He spent the 2018 season in that role.[4]

Texas Rangers

On November 14, 2018, Ortiz was named the hitting coach of the Texas Rangers, joining new manager Chris Woodward's staff.[5]

Personal life

Ortiz went back to school and graduated from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education & Health, with a minor in Management & Marketing.[3] In doing so, he became the first player from the Dominican Republic to play in the major Leagues and graduate from college.[3] Ortiz is married to his wife Susan, whom he met while at Union University, and they have four daughters, Gabriela, Naomi, Samantha, and Moriah.[3]

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References
  1. "Luis Ortiz". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  2. "Luis Ortiz". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  3. Jamey Newberg (January 7, 2019). "Finishing touch: What Luis Ortiz' return to Texas could mean for Joey Gallo and other young Rangers hitters". The Athletic. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  4. Ken Gurnick (December 1, 2017). "Brown, Ortiz hired as asst. hitting coaches". MLB.com. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  5. "Rangers hire former player Luis Ortiz as hitting coach, announce 4 more coaching decisions". The Dallas Morning News. November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.

Preceded by
Tim Hyers		 Los Angeles Dodgers assistant hitting coach
2018 (Shared with Brant Brown)		 Succeeded by
Aaron Bates
Preceded by
Anthony Iapoce		 Texas Rangers hitting coach
2019-present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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