Luis Ortiz, three others added to Riders roster
FRISCO, TEXAS (May 20, 2016) - The Texas Rangers announced Friday that four players, three from the Class A-Advanced High Desert Mavericks, have been promoted to the RoughRiders. The new additions include right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz, left-handed pitcher Yohander Mendez, left-handed pitcher Joe Filomeno, and infielder Evan Van Hoosier. Ortiz is scheduled to make his first start with the Riders Monday at 11:05 a.m. in a game that will air live on Fox Sports Southwest.
Ortiz, 20, entered the season as the fifth-ranked ranked prospect in the Rangers organization, according to MLBPipeline.com. The righty went 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA in seven games (six starts) with the Mavericks in his first year with High Desert. In 27 2/3 innings, he walked just six and struck out 28. The Sanger, California-native maintained a 4-1 record with a 1.80 ERA in 13 games with Class-A Hickory last season. He was a first-round pick (30th overall) by the Rangers in the 2014 MLB draft.
Mendez, 21, also started the season strong with High Desert, posting a 4-1 record and a 2.45 ERA in seven starts. He only walked 11, while striking out 45 in 33.0 innings pitched, and he had a 0.97 WHIP, which was fifth in the California League at the time of promotion. He also led the circuit in strikeouts per nine innings (12.27) and was tied for the lowest batting average (.176) among starting pitchers. The Venezuelan southpaw was ranked as the 14th-best prospect in the organization prior to this season (according to MLBPipeline.com) and is a member of the Rangers 40-man roster. Mendez is scheduled to start for the Riders Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. vs. San Antonio.
Filomeno, 23, is the only one of the four additions to not land a top 30 prospect ranking, but he has been pitching well out of the bullpen for the Mavericks. The third-year pro allowed just one earned run in 15 2/3 innings with the Mavericks this year, good for a 0.57 ERA. The southpaw held a 1-0 record and racked up three saves in 11 relief appearances.
Van Hoosier, 22, hasn't played in a game since being placed on the restricted list in November. The former eighth-round pick spent most of last season with High Desert, while also playing nine games in the AZL. He hit .326 with two home runs and 34 RBI in 70 games between High Desert and the AZL. Van Hoosier was ranked the 19th-ranked Rangers prospect in MLBPipeline.com's preseason prospect list.
The RoughRiders next return home Friday to begin a four-game series against the San Antonio Missions. The homestand begins with Magic Night on the Friday, featuring Michael Grandinetti, and Saturday is Military Appreciation Night at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Tickets for those games, and the other two games of the homestand are available now online at RidersBaseball.com, via email at [email protected], over the phone at (972) 731-9200, or in-person at the RoughRiders box office.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and play their games at beautiful Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance in each of the last 11 seasons (2005-2015). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg and Scott Sonju. The new ownership group, together with the city of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise improvements over the past two seasons, investing over $7 million in wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including the new state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store, and the newest and biggest creation, the 174-foot Choctaw Lazy River. The improvements made prior to the 2015 season earned the Riders and the City of Frisco "Best Ballpark Renovation" of 2015 by Ballpark Digest. More than 130 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball, including All-Stars Chris Davis, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Gonzalez, Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz, and C.J. Wilson as well as current Rangers stars Derek Holland, Rougned Odor, and Mitch Moreland. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders and Dr Pepper Ballpark, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact Nathan Barnett at (972) 334-1976 or via e-mail at [email protected].
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