While most of the players the Nationals received in the MacKenzie Gore trade are years away from the big leagues, Abimelec Ortiz is an exception. He may not possess the upside or athleticism of other players in the deal, but Ortiz has proven he can mash. At some point in 2026, we are likely to see Ortiz’s bat in the Nats lineup.
When talking about the trade, Toboni echoed that sentiment. He said that we could see Ortiz at either first base or DH in the big leagues this year. Ortiz did play some outfield
last season, but Toboni seems to view him as a 1B or DH type. Given his squatty 5’10 230 pound frame, it makes sense why Toboni sees him that way.
Scouts actually thought he looked surprisingly decent in the outfield in the Arizona Fall League, but the range is always going to be a limiting factor. He is a decent defender at first base, but is not elite by any means. The idea of a 5’10 first baseman is a little bit scary to me. He just is not able to get the high throws a prototypical 6’4 first baseman could get.
All of this means that Ortiz will have to absolutely mash to be an impactful big leaguer. He has done just that at the minor league level. In 2023, Ortiz hit 33 home runs across both A ball levels, putting his name on the map. Ortiz’s 2024 was an up and down year in a more pitcher friendly Double-A environment.
However, Ortiz returned to form in 2025, especially after a mid-season promotion to Triple-A. The big slugger hit 16 homers and posted a .787 OPS in 89 Double-A games before he got promoted to Triple-A. In a more hitter friendly environment, Ortiz exploded, with 9 homers and a .953 OPS in 41 games. For the season, Ortiz hammered 25 home runs.
His batted ball data was also excellent at the AAA level. Ortiz absolutely crushed baseballs, with a hard hit rate near 55%. He also had a knack for pulling the ball in the air, which allowed him to do damage. Ortiz’s batted ball profile is exactly what you want from a slugger.
Ortiz turns 24 in late February, so this is not the case of a mid-20’s bopper abusing Triple-A. However, there is a sizable chance that Ortiz is one of those Quad-A sluggers along the lines of Andres Chaparro.
He will be given the chance to prove himself in the big leagues though. If Ortiz has a strong camp, he could make the MLB roster. There is not a lot of competition for reps at 1B or DH right now. That could change if the Nats sign somebody like Rhys Hoskins, but that has not happened yet.
In my view, Ortiz has a chance to be a strong side platoon player at first base or DH. Since hitting the upper levels, Ortiz has had his struggles against left handed pitching. He has hit below .200 against them each of the last two seasons. However, he has not had problems mashing right handed pitching.
Ortiz has a lot of similarities to fellow rotund first baseman Rowdy Tellez. While Tellez has never been a star, he has been in the league for nearly a decade and managed a 35 home run season back in 2022. For a fourth piece in a trade, that is not too bad.
There is a chance that Ortiz is a little bit better than that as well. For Ortiz to be better than Tellez, he will need to be more selective at the plate. In Triple-A, his chase rate was 29% which is a bit higher than you would like. His walk rate last year was 11.7%, but he could still refine his approach some more.
The round slugger who hits bombs may never compile the most WAR, but they can be a solid piece to your team. These types of players can also be fan favorites. I mean who doesn’t love a big man that can mash. He will never be a .300 hitter, but Ortiz whiffs less than your average big man masher.
Abimelec Ortiz may never be anything more than a Quad-A slugger. The mediocre plate discipline and lack of a true position might end up costing him. However, I would not count him out. The former undrafted free agent has already beaten the odds to get this far. I am really rooting for Ortiz because he could be a very fun player if everything comes together.
