Jhailyn Ortiz Baseball Cards Overview
Jhailyn Ortiz is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Considered one of the top prospects in the Phillies system, Ortiz has seen his baseball card values rise significantly since being signed as an international free agent in 2016. Let’s take a deeper look at Ortiz the player, as well as the baseball cards chronicling his career so far.
Background on Jhailyn Ortiz
Ortiz was born in 1998 in La Romana, Dominican Republic. He stands an imposing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs around 230 pounds, giving him a noticeable physical presence on the field. Ortiz came up through the Dominican prospect system playing for amateur teams like La Romana Eagles and Escogido Lions. Scouts were drawn to his combination of impressive raw power and athleticism for his size.
In July 2016, Ortiz signed with the Phillies for a $700,000 bonus as one of the top international prospects available that year. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League later that season, hitting .223 with 2 home runs in just 34 at-bats. Ortiz split the 2017 season between the Gulf Coast League Phillies and Short-Season Williamsport, making steady improvements with a .264 average and 7 home runs over 57 games.
Ortiz broke out offensively in 2018 while playing for Low-A Lakewood. In 113 games, he slashed .279/.356/.494 with 20 home runs and 81 RBIs, showing he could translate his raw tools into consistent production. This breakout season brought Ortiz significantly more attention from prospect watchers and compelled the Phillies to aggressively promote him to High-A Clearwater for 2019 at just 21 years old.
Playing against older competition in the Florida State League, Ortiz continued to develop nicely with a .254 batting average, 30 doubles, 23 home runs and 75 RBIs in 123 games. He was named a midseason Florida State League All-Star and Florida State League postseason All-Star as well. Ortiz further impressed scouts by adding muscle and strength to his powerful frame while maintaining his athleticism and defensive abilities in right field.
Entering the abbreviated 2020 minor league season, Ortiz had elevated his status as one of the top hitting prospects in the Phillies organization with back-to-back breakout offensive campaigns. Most publications ranked him among the Phillies’ top 5 prospects and top 100 prospects in all of baseball entering 2020. Though the pandemic wiped out the entire minor league season, Ortiz continued to refine his skills during instructional league play and workouts in anticipation of his first taste of Double-A baseball in 2021.
Ortiz Baseball Card Checklist and Values
Let’s now examine some of the most noteworthy baseball cards chronicling Ortiz’s career so far:
2017 Topps Dominican Summer League Base #20 – Ortiz’s first appearance in the Topps set from his pro debut season sells in the $5-10 range.
2018 Bowman Prospects #BDP26 – One of Ortiz’s first prominent prospect cards from before his 2018 breakout. Typical eBay sell prices $3-7.
2018 Bowman Chrome Prospects Orange Refractor /150 #BDP26 – Scarcer refractors from the 2018 Bowman set attract slightly more attention. Recent sales around $15-25 range.
2018 Topps Pro Debut Green Shimmer Auto Patch /99 #88 – Ortiz’s first autographed card inserts fetch $75-125 usually. The low serial number adds value.
2019 Bowman Chrome Prospects Blue Refractor Auto /150 #12 – Ortiz gained more notoriety after 2019. These Bowman blues autographed sell for $100-150.
2019 Topps Chrome Prospects Green Refractor Auto /99 #169 – Another scarce Ortiz refractor auto from ’19 around $150-225 sales.
2019 Topps Chrome Update Red Refractor Auto /250 #UA47 – Common Ortiz red refractor auto holds $75-125 range.
2020 Topps Chrome Orange Refractor Auto /150 #159 – Prices fell slightly during pandemic without playing. But serial #58 brought $125 recently.
2021 Topps Series 1 Base #280 – Ortiz first flagship base RC just $3-7 usually.
2021 Topps ChromeProspects Green Auto /99 #109 – First Topps Chrome auto as prospect holds $150-250 value so far.
As Ortiz continues developing and gaining prospect status through play at Double-A and higher levels, his autographed and serial numbered cards from peak prospect years of 2018-19 have shown the largest price increases based on tracked eBay sales. Refractors and low serial autos especially trade in the $100-250 range currently. But if Ortiz fulfills his considerable talent and makes his MLB debut in 2022 or beyond, even his basic flagship and minor league base cards could potentially increase in value significantly as well.
The Future for Ortiz and His Baseball Card Market
Ortiz will start the 2021 season at Double-A Reading and looks to push himself to the brink of the majors. He will need to show he can continue driving the ball with authority against more advanced pitching while maintaining a respectable on-base percentage and plate discipline. Defensively, Ortiz profiles best in a corner outfield spot and will aim to lock that role down.
If Ortiz can impress in Double-A this season and possibly see some time in Triple-A Lehigh Valley as well in 2021, all signs would point to him debuting in the majors with the Phillies in 2022 at age 23 or 24. Once that debut occurs, Ortiz’s prospect card values will likely plateau, and focus will shift more to his initial MLB cards. Rookie cards, parallels, and autographs from Ortiz’s first Topps flagship and Bowman sets as a big leaguer would then be primed to experience steady increases in secondary market prices for years to come as his career unfolds.
Of course, Ortiz will still need to prove he can hit major league caliber pitching and establish himself as a productive MLB regular to fulfill his potential. Nothing is certain in professional baseball. Injuries could also disrupt his progression. But with his considerable tools and productivity so far in the minors, Ortiz’s future as a big leaguer seems quite bright if he stays healthy. That bodes well for the long-term collection and potential investment value of his early career baseball cards chronicling his rise through the Phillies system as one of their top prospects.
