Nutley baseball standout Devin Ortiz signs with the San Diego Padres

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NUTLEY, NJ — Nutley baseball standout Devin Ortiz signed a free agent deal with the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, July 26. After signing the deal, Ortiz reported to the Padres minor league training facility in Peoria, Arizona.

Ortiz, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound infielder/pitcher, completed his career at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He started all 58 games that he played in this past season, batting .286 with 61 hits, including 12 doubles and seven homers. His 47 RBIs ranked third on the team. 

Ortiz homered in consecutive games at Louisville on May 20 and May 21, including a shot that traveled 456 feet to center field.

On the mound, Ortiz went 5-1 with a 2.03 earned run average in nine appearances, including five starts. In 26.2 innings pitched, he allowed 15 hits, six runs (all earned) and three walks, striking out 27. Opponents batted .158 against him. 

He was selected Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and College Baseball Foundation Second Team All-American. Ortiz also was one of five finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, and one of five Virginia Cavaliers on the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Team. A philosophy major, Ortz was listed on the ACC Academic Honor Roll. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Virginia.

Ortiz was ranked No. 29 on D1Baseball’s top first basemen prior to the season. Virginia qualified for the NCAA Division 1 tournament and finished 39-19 this season. 

In 2021, Ortiz batted .270 with 60 hits, including  41 runs, 10 doubles, eight homers and 34 RBIs. He also was the team’s best hitter in ACC play during that season, batting .317 with 40 hits, including seven doubles, six home runs and 18 RBIs. The Cavaliers reached the College World Series and finished with a 36-27 record.

For his career, Ortiz batted .269 with 154 hits, including 27 doubles, two triples and 18 home runs, and 103 RBIs. As a pitcher, he finished 10-1 in his career with a 2.52 ERA in 186 appearances, including six starts. He allowed 52 hits and 19 walks, and struck out 89 in 71.1 innings.

Ortiz attended St. Joseph Regional in Montvale where he was an all-state honoree. He was named the most valuable player in the 2016 Bergen County Tournament as a junior. In 2017, Ortiz batted .541 with 20 hits, including five home runs. In his four-year career, he went 19-3 on the mound, including going 8-0 in his junior season.

Photos Courtesy of Jose Ortiz.

  Devin Ortiz