The power-hitting slugger put in five years in the Kansas City Minor League system before finally getting the call-up in September of 1973.
I’m assuming the Royals organization had some high hopes for the youngster who slammed 32, 26 and 19 homers over the past three seasons respectively.
To be honest, the man did not disappoint, as he proceeded to hit .280 over his nine-games, hitting a homer and driving in six runs with seven hits over 25 at-bats.
Yet oddly, and I don’t know why, he never got a shot at the big time again, even though he went on to post some big years in the Minors through the 1978 season, his last as a pro.
In 1977, still only 26 years old, he was playing for Denver of the Montreal Expos organization, and had a huge year when he hit 40 homers with 126 runs batted in, scoring 100 and hitting .311.
You’d think those numbers would get him another call-up?
Apparently the team was so loaded with young talent Ortenzio never made it back to a Big League diamond, instead going on to play the 1978 season split between the Montreal and San Diego Padres Minor League systems, retiring thereafter.
He finished his MLB career with those nine games in 1973, with that respectable .280 average, and some big time Minor League seasons.