Abimelec Ortiz…The root words that make up the name Abimelec translate to “father” and “king” in Hebrew…Batted .349/.429/.596/1.025 (58-for-166) with nine HR, 12 2B and 47 RBI in his lone season at Florida Southwestern State College in Fort Myers, Fla., in 2020-21…Still ranks among the program’s all-time single-season leaders in BA (fifth), HR (tied for sixth) and RBI (tied for sixth)…Did not speak any English at the time of his enrollment at FSWSC but credits the institution for helping him grow…Prepped at the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in his native Puerto Rico…Hails from Bayamon, P.R., the same city that has produced MLB All-Stars Yadier Molina, Javier Báez and José Berríos...Trains with 17-year MLB veteran and three-time Silver Slugger Award-winner Carlos Delgado in the offseason…Began wearing contact lenses in 2023 and immediately saw a dramatic improvement in offensive and defensive performance.
2024
Over 115 games spent exclusively with Frisco, Ortiz set career highs in games, doubles (21) and walks (50), and ranked among TEX farmhands in HR (tied for fourth), R (fifth, 68), RBI (seventh, 64) and XBH (eighth, 41)…Saw heightened success against right-handed pitchers (.261 BA / .798 OPS) as opposed to lefties (.178 BA / .623 OPS), with 15 of his 18 HR coming vs. RHP…Made starts defensively at first base (80), right field (18) and designated hitter (17)…From 8/9 to end of season, batted .364/.470/.700/1.170 (40-for-110) with 10 HR and 30 RBI in 29 games to raise season BA from .201 to .243, leading the Texas League in that span in HR, RBI, SLG, OPS, XBH (16) and TB (77)… Earned Texas League Player of the Week honors for 9/9-15 after going 11-for-21 (.524) with five HR and eight RBI over five games, including two multi-HR games…Went 3-for-9 (.333) with two HR and three RBI over three games for RoughRiders in Texas League South Division Championship Series vs. Midland, including game-tying HR down to final strike in Game 2…Appeared in 28 games for Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League after the Minor League season concluded, logging three HR and 13 RBI.
2023
Was selected winner of the organization’s Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year award…also named to MiLB. com’s All-MiLB Prospect Second Team at designated hitter… batted .294/.371/.619/.990 (115-391) with 33 HR, 20 2B, 101 RBI, and 49 BB/126 SO in 109 games between Down East (A) and Hickory (A+), leading all Texas farmhands in HR and RBI…according to FanGraphs, his 33 HR were the most by any Rangers minor leaguer in an age 21-or-younger season since 20-year-old Joey Gallo in 2014 (42)…ranked among the top statistical performers in the minor leagues (min. 400 PA) in slugging pct. (first), OPS (fourth), wRC+ (fourth, 160), HR (T4th) and RBI (T8th)…the only Minor Leaguers in the last 10 years (beg. 2014) to post a higher slugging pct. in their age 21-or-younger seasons (min. 400 PA) were 21-year-old Luis Robert Jr. in 2019 (.624) and 19-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2018 (.636)… was named Most Valuable Player of the South Atlantic League after slashing .290/.363/.624/.988 (84-290) with 26 HR and 81 RBI over 80 G in his High-A debut, becoming the 1st Crawdad to earn the circuit’s MVP award since Jurickson Profar in 2011…also selected as a member of the SAL Postseason All-Star team, SAL Player of the Month (June), and was a back-to-back SAL Player of the Week honoree (6/19-6/25, 6/26-7/2)… was promoted to Hickory from Down East on 5/23, but still finished the season ranked among SAL leaders (min. 250 PA) in HR (first), OPS (first), SLG (first) and RBI (second)…opened the campaign at Low-A and slashed .307/.392/.604/.996 (31-101) with seven HR and 20 RBI in 29 G for the Wood Ducks…made the majority of his starts defensively at first base (83), but also saw starts in right field (eight).
2022
Batted .226 (66-for-292) with 11 HR and 39 RBI over 93 games at Down East (A) in his stateside debut...Slashed .202/.287/.303/.590 (40-for-198) across first 60 games and .277/.352/.543/.895 (26-94) over final 33 (beginning 7/24)…Served as Wood Ducks’ primary first baseman (72 starts), but also saw action in right field (nine starts)… Participated in the Rangers’ Fall Instructional League program following the season…Went 2-for-4 with a double and RBI in two games for Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
2021
Led the Dominican Summer League in home runs (11) and slugging percentage (.581) in his professional debut with DSL Rangers…Recorded more walks (33) than strikeouts (31) and posted the fourth-highest OPS (1.000) among league qualifiers despite batting just .231 (30-for-129)…Appeared exclusively at first base, making just one error in 40 games (all starts)…Went 3-for-15 (.200) with two doubles and three walks in 12 games for Gigantes de Carolina of the Puerto Rican Winter League…Signed with Texas as a non-drafted free agent on 7/28…Participated in the Rangers’ Fall Instructional League and Texas Tour games against local universities in October.
