Prospects 1500 Profile: Oliver Ortega

Today in our series of potential 2020 Rocket City Trash Pandas written by Prospects1500's Angels correspondent Andrew Rhodes: Oliver Ortega, RHP. Ortega, 23, a live armed pitcher that was an All Star for the 66ers a season ago. He will return to AA, pitching for the Trash Pandas in their inaugural season. 

Ortega was signed out of the Dominican Republic for $10K in 2015. He has a fastball that touches 99 mph, a whiffer of a curveball, and a changeup that could be average when all is said and done. 
He touched down in the USA in 2016 excelled at every level of professional baseball. In his first season he tore up hitters in the Arizona League to the tune of a 2.83 ERA. He was injured in 2017, and when he made his return it was at Burlington skipping over Orem. In Burlington he stuck out 86 batters in 82 innings to a tune of a 3.51 ERA. In 2019 he was the 66ers best pitcher and was named to the California League All-Star game as their representative. He would proceed to get moved up to AA where he struggled.
Ortega, Angels 24th ranked prospect according to Prospects1500, should return to AA to pitch for the Trash Pandas and likely start transitioning into the reliever role that could earn him a spot on a major league roster.