D’Angelo Ortiz is taking part in his first spring training with the Boston Red Sox, and many fans have made the same observation about the young third baseman.
Ortiz is the son of Red Sox legend and Baseball Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz. Those who have watched the 20-year-old hit feel that you only need to see his swing to know that he is the offspring of Big Papi.
D’Angelo bats right-handed, but he his leg kick and finish look a lot like the way his old man used to swing.
If you flip Big Papi to the other side of the plate, the similarities become quite obvious.
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) February 23, 2025
One difference between D’Angelo and David is that the younger Ortiz seems to keep both hands on the bat during his follow-through. His swing looked even more like his 10-time MLB All-Star father’s last summer:
The Red Sox drafted D’Angelo in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He played collegiately at Miami Dade College. Ortiz batted .328 with 38 RBIs across 48 games played in his final college season.
Ortiz had just one in his final season at Miami Dade, so he has not yet shown the type of power Red Sox fans were used to from his dad. Perhaps that will come with time.
