Joey Ortiz

The definition of a spare piece for Baltimore, Ortiz was shipped to Milwaukee along with DL Hall in exchange for Corbin Burnes in a contract year. The righty-hitting Ortiz is a plus defender who can play all over the infield, but he didn't project to provide enough offensive impact to play ahead of players like Jackson Holliday or Gunnar Henderson long term. Ortiz is a capable offensive player - he slashed .321/.378/.507 with nine home runs, 11 steals and a 17.7 percent strikeout rate in 88 games at Triple-A, good for a 121 wRC+. However, his .373 BABIP and the fact he turns 26 in July make that Triple-A production less impressive. Ortiz is a candidate to hit 10 homers and steal 10 bases without hurting your batting average, but he could hit at the bottom of the lineup against righties. He enters the season only eligible at second base, but Ortiz should play pretty regularly at third base early this season and he could be the shortstop of the future if Willy Adames leaves next offseason in free agency or gets traded during the season. Read Past Outlooks