Joey Ortiz possesses the skills to knock down a bad-hop grounder and block out trade noise.
The number of gifted young Orioles infielders has left Ortiz with trade chip status bestowed upon him. Not from people inside the organization as much as outside observers who are trying to solve the riddle of how to create space.
MLB Pipeline ranks Ortiz as the sport’s No. 63 prospect and Baseball America places him seventh in the team’s top 30. Coby Mayo is third on the club and 30th in baseball.
The Orioles aren’t in any hurry to move him, either.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is trying to find a trade partner and bring in a starting pitcher, but he’s under no pressure to move his best young talent. If some of it returns to Triple-A Norfolk, a chance to play in the majors could arrive later in the year.