Minor League Fantasy Draft Round Five- Jhailyn Ortiz and...

Photo Credit; Willamsport Sun-Gazette

It was time to make my final selection and I was looking through various notes because my queue of players had been emptied, but I figured that would happen and had other players listed that were possibilities for my final pick.

I was surprised to see a player that I liked still available.
What I was downright stunned to see was that there were quite a few players available that I was interested in, but two stood out above them all and I could only select one.

I decided on Jhailyn Ortiz, a power hitting outfield prospect from the Philadelphia Phillies, who I had seen on my trip to Batavia last year and watched him smack a long home run.
Ortiz hit .302 and eight homers last year in 159 at-bats at short-season Williamsport with a very impressive .961 OPS as a Crosscutter.
Ortiz signed at 16 for a 4.5 million dollar bonus and played last season at 18.
The 6'3 Ortiz didn't have issues making contact, but he appears to be a player that will have to keep in shape because his body shape might be one that gets thick as he ages, so he might be a candidate to move to first base sometime during his career.
Phillies farm director Joe Jordan rates Ortiz as the most talented player in a system that does have plenty of talent, so there is a chance that Ortiz could be a real steal as a fifth rounder.
Ortiz has the type of righthanded power that makes scouts drool ( Having seen him play, Ortiz reminded me some of Aaron Judge) and his 15 doubles show that he'll make enough contact to give him an excellent chance to hit for average even if he does strike out plenty as the cost of living.
I felt good about Ortiz when one of the better owners in our league posted that Ortiz was going to be his pick shortly after mine, had I passed on him.


Having decided on Ortiz as the final selection, I was finished with my draft, but I kept thinking about the player that I passed over.
The day dragged on and as happy as I was with Ortiz, I wanted to find a way to land that other guy.
I decided I had to have him and found a team that was on the clock- Battlin' Bob's Indianapolis Indians and for the cost of a second-round pick in the 2019 major league draft, I could have his pick.
I was fine with the cost, I usually only use one pick, if any, so it was more than fine with me.

So, who was this player that I had to have?

Photo Courtesy;Danville Braves

William Contreras, a catcher in the Braves organization and brother of Willson Contreras of the Cubs.

Contreras turned 20 at the conclusion of the 2017 season and spent last year with Danville of the Appalachian League.
I was impressed with Contreras smoking a would-be base stealer with ease when I was in Danville last year and made a note of him in that game.
When I looked at his stats during my research, I was intrigued by his .290/4/25 line in 169 at-bats and decided I wanted him.
Catcher along with shortstop is the hardest position to find when you draft a minor league version of fantasy baseball because you are dealing with such young players and all too often, catchers become first basemen or outfielders and shortstops often turn into second or third baseman by the time that they would reach the big time.
Often the reason that catcher get their position switched is defensive liabilities, which Contreras is reported to be strong enough in that area and I've seen the arm.
I have a feeling he stays behind the plate.
The bat looks like it could be a good one and Contreras is patient along with being able to make contact as he finished with 25 walks to his 30 strikeouts.
Rookie league catchers are usually a lottery ticket to the big leagues, but William Contreras was one worth taking...