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Biography
Luis Alberto Ortiz (born May 25, 1970) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman and current hitting coach for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Playing career
Ortiz played three seasons at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the 1991 MLB Draft.
In a four-season MLB career, Ortiz was a .228 hitter (33-for-145) with two home runs and 26 RBI in 60 games, including 14 runs, seven doubles and three triples.
Following his majors career, Ortiz played in Japanese baseball with the 1997 Yakult Swallows. He also played in the Red Sox, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Expos and Cardinals minor league systems. (1991–2004).
Coaching career
After retiring from baseball, Ortiz opened a baseball school in Keller, Texas called Swing City.He has published four hitting books (The Natural Hitter Handbook plus three drills books).
Ortiz started his professional coaching career in the Texas Rangers organization as a coach for the Spokane Indians in 2008. He was a roving hitting coordinator in the Texas Rangers system from 2009 through 2011. In 2012, he was promoted to assistant hitting coordinator. Ortiz was let go from the Rangers organization after Tim Purpura was brought in by Nolan Ryan to run the Rangers player development system. He was the Lower Level hitting coordinator and the Cultural Development Coordinator for the Cleveland Indians in 2013. In 2014, Ortiz was promoted to Assistant Field coordinator while performing the role of hitting coordinator. Ortiz joined the San Diego Padres, and from 2015 through 2017, served as their minor league Field and Hitting Coordinator.
San Diego Padres
Ortiz was named the interim major league hitting coach of the San Diego Padres for the final month of the 2017 season, after Alan Zinter was fired.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On December 1, 2017, Ortiz was hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers to share the dual role of assistant major league hitting coach/minor league hitting coordinator with Brant Brown. He spent the 2018 season in that role.
Texas Rangers
On November 14, 2018, Ortiz was named the hitting coach of the Texas Rangers, joining new manager Chris Woodward's staff.
Personal life
Ortiz went back to school and graduated from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education & Health, with a minor in Management & Marketing. In doing so, he became the first player from the Dominican Republic to play in the major Leagues and graduate from college. Ortiz is married to his wife Susan, whom he met while at Union University, and they have four daughters, Gabriela, Naomi, Samantha, and Moriah.