Signed by the Cleveland Indians as a free agent in June of 2004
Tabbed as the [apos]WCC[apos]s Best Defensive Shortstop[apos] by Baseball America in 2004
Completed an outstanding two-year USD career by being named a First Team All-WCC player in `04
Senior in 2004: Named a First Team All-WCC player after a phenomenal senior season... Hit .364 in 54 games and 53 starts... Played exceptional defense as USD[apos]s everyday shortstop... Registered 10 doubles and drove in 31 runs... Reeled off a 16-game hitting streak in late March and April... Hit .475 during the month of April, registering 10 multi-hit games, hitting safely in 15-of-16 contests and scoring 13 times... Also drove in nine runs during the month... Enjoyed 14 multi-hit games, including knocking around San Francisco (5-2-04) pitching for a season and career-high four hits... Totaled a season[apos]s best three RBI vs. Loyola Marymount (3-20-04).
Junior in 2003: Made an immediate impact at USD upon his arrival in 2003... Solidified the middle infield, starting in 60 of San Diego[apos]s 62 games... Totaled 230 at-bats, one shy of a USD all-time top ten mark... Enjoyed a team-high 12-game hitting streak during USD[apos]s stretch run, propelling the Toreros into the NCAA Regionals... Hit .348 over USD[apos]s nine wins in ten games to conclude the regular season... Banged out three hits at Pepperdine (5-23-03) in the first game of the WCC Championship Series, an 8-2 USD victory... Hit a two-out three-run homer helping San Diego come back and defeat Oregon State (3-1-03) at the Clash of the Conferences Tournament in Lancaster... Knocked in a season and career-high four RBI vs. St. Mary[apos]s (4-19-03)... Totaled six total bases, hitting two doubles and driving in three vs. Cal Poly SLO (2-26-03)... Totaled 10 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI outings... Posted a batting average of .265.
Prep/College: In arguably the best junior college conference in the state of California, Ortega led Riverside CC to back-to-back state championships... Played in the Orange Empire Conference at Riverside for two seasons... Comes to USD as a natural shortstop, may also play second base... Prepped at Rubidoux High School in the Riverside area... Named team MVP in both his junior and senior seasons... Helped the Falcons reach the playoffs as a junior... Coached by Ray Marisnik as a prep... Selected to compete in Amateur Baseball Development (ABD) and won the Junior Olympic Championship in 1995.
Personal: Born on December 29, 1980 in Santa Ana, California... Son of Maria and Ignacio Ortega... Has chosen Business as a major at USD.
