Ryan Ortiz played in just 10 games for the Laredo Lemurs, but the performance was good enough to catch the eye of the Cleveland Indians. Ortiz has had his contract sold, and will report to the Indians’ class AA affiliate, the Akron RubberDucks. The RubberDucks play a home game against the Portland Sea Dogs this evening at 7:05 p.m. Eastern time.
Ortiz hit .206 during his time in Laredo. He was 7-for-34 with a double and an RBI. He notched two multi-hit games for the Lemurs, the first of which came in his debut on July 20 against the Joplin Blasters. Ortiz was 2-for-3 in a 9-2 win. He repeated the feat on July 31, also against the Blasters. Ortiz went 2-for-4 with his double and RBI in the game, an 8-3 Lemurs loss.
Before coming to the American Association, Ortiz suited up for the Sacramento RiverCats, class AAA affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, in 2013 and 2014. He spent a total of six seasons with Oakland following a collegiate career at Oregon State.
In 2009, Ortiz played with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League, where he hit .258. He played well enough to earn a promotion to the Class A Advanced Stockton Ports of the California League for 2010. Ortiz hit .277, driving in 35 that season. He returned to Stockton for the early part of 2011, and hit .340 over 28 games, earning him a call-up to class AA Midland in the Texas League. Coincidentally enough, he finished 2011 with a .277 average and 35 RBI, just like in 2010. Ortiz played for the same two teams in 2012, collecting a career-high 38 RBI.
Ortiz appeared in 62 games in 2013 between Stockton and Sacramento, but hit .270 in AAA. His last year with Oakland was in 2014, and spent entirely in Sacramento.
He becomes the second player to appear in a Laredo uniform and be sold in 2015, joining RHP Omar Bencomo, who went to the Minnesota Twins yesterday. Laredo concludes a road series at the Amarillo Thunderheads tonight at 7:05 p.m. Central time.
