Milwaukee Brewers: Jorge Ortega’s Spectacular Season

The Milwaukee Brewers have had a lot of pitchers excel in the minor leagues. Jorge Lopez and Tyler Wagner dominated in Biloxi all year. Cy Sneed was awesome at two levels. Even Josh Hader and Adrian Houser have been outstanding since coming over from the Houston organization. But one pitcher that has seemed to have flown under the radar is Jorge Ortega who has gotten the job done each time he has taken the mound in Brevard County this season. While he isn’t even thought of as a top 30 prospect in the system, here is why Ortega has potential to continually climb the ladder in the system.

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Ortega isn’t a big time strikeout pitcher, but his pinpoint control still allowed him to finish the year with a 6.55 strikeout to walk ratio. In 141.2 innings of work, Ortega walked just 11 batters, as he averaged just 0.7 walks per nine innings of work. Throughout his time in the system he has been just as good, averaging 1.1 walks per nine in his five minor league seasons.

Taking a look at the Florida State League pitching leaders from this season, Ortega’s name can be found almost everywhere. He finished fifth in the league in wins, fourth in innings pitched and was the leader in both ERA and WHIP. He also often finished what he started, as he led the league with six complete games and tied for the lead with two shutouts. These awesome numbers even allowed him to receive mid-season and post-season all-star honors and a end of the season promotion to AAA Colorado Springs.

While he isn’t a household name and he will probably start the year in Biloxi in 2016, putting up numbers like these have helped to open eyes this season in the Brewers organization. In his five years as a professional he has pitched to contact and been able to post a 3.14 ERA. He isn’t high on the pitching depth chart at this point, but if the 22-year-old right hander can do it again next year he will certainly give himself a shot to have a Brewers’ future.

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