TVLSE, Oklahoma – Avery Ortiz (Mvskoke) will soon hang up his red and white Redhawks baseball jersey at the end of the upcoming season and pick up an orange and black Cowboys one next year. On Dec. 21, Ortiz finally signed his national letter of intent to play baseball at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. He is currently a senior at Union High School in Tulsa.
Although Avery Ortiz had already committed to OSU, he waited to sign his national letter of intent with all his family present. Avery Ortiz said signing his letter of intent was a big moment in his career. It was a day he and his family had looked forward to for some time.
“It just made it official, just that next step, “ Avery Ortiz said. “I’m just ready to be there (OSU).”
Ortiz was accompanied at the signing by his biggest fans, Adam and Venissa (Mvskoke), who just so happen to be his parents. According to Venissa Ortiz, her son had always been physically active regardless of his sport.
“He’s always been athletic his whole life,” Venissa Ortiz said. “He played baseball, soccer, and football and liked running. He’s always been active and working out in the gym.”
During middle school, Avery Ortiz found his passion for baseball, and that’s when he decided to focus his time and energy on the sport.
“Baseball kept on accelerating, he kept progressing, and next thing you know, we’re eliminating the other sports. It’s been a long journey and a long process,” Adam Ortiz said. “We’re ready for a new beginning.”
When it came time to decide the future, Avery Ortiz said it was easy to choose the next step of his baseball career. His family has always been OSU Cowboys fans.
“Just to walk on campus, meeting all the coaches and seeing the facilities they had, I just knew it was the right thing,” Avery Ortiz said.
On top of playing for one of the Ortiz family’s favorite teams, Avery’s parents were happy he decided to play locally.
During the final year of high school, emotions can run high. Especially when students have dedicated a significant portion of their time and energy to an extracurricular like a sports team, theater group, or musical instrument. For Avery Ortiz, baseball is no different. He has been practicing nonstop to ensure he provides the best performance possible for his senior season.
“I’m preparing myself for the season. I’ve been working hard,” Avery Ortiz said. “I’m just going to go out there to compete and be the best I can be.”
Avery’s talents on the baseball diamond allowed him to compete in the Area Code Games, an annual short-term league that featured the best of the best high school players from across the country.
“It was just crazy, just tons and tons of kids just filled with excitement for the game,” Avery Ortiz said. “They’re just really competitive, and the environment was insane with the number of coaches and talent.”
This year’s Area Code Games were held in San Diego. It was more than just an opportunity for Avery Ortiz to compete against players from out of state. It also allowed him to demonstrate his talents for Major League Baseball talent scouts interested in recruitment. He has also been invited to play at the Pro Baseball Report Super 60 Pro Showcase. According to Venissa Ortiz, it is an event that only features the top draft prospects in the country.
Avery Ortiz’s favorite part about the sport is the competition. He said it’s not always easy, but that is what makes it rewarding for him.
“Just stepping in that box, me versus the pitcher,” Avery Ortiz said. “It’s tough, but just winning that battle and that feeling of accomplishment is great.”
In the whirlwind of changes and opportunities that Avery Ortiz faces, his parents could not be more proud of their son and excited for the future.
“I’m just trying to take everything in stride, stay present,” Adam Ortiz said. “It’s pretty surreal and incredible to be in that conversation of a possibility like that (MLB draft),”
“God has a plan for him. Whatever happens, happens,” Venissa Ortiz said.
The future is bright for Avery Ortiz. According to Venissa Ortiz, he has already begun talking with professional teams about draft prospects. If drafted into the MLB, he will join a narrow list of Muscogee (Creek) baseball players to play in the league’s history.
