Tirso Ornelas

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #22 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas' rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million and pushed him quickly up their system. He stumbled at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, batting .220 with one home run and while being demoted at midseason. Ornelas showed signs of breaking out with a new swing at the end of the year and carried it forward in the Mexican Winter League in 2020, but his time there was cut short when he broke his forearm diving for a ball in the outfield.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a physical lefthanded hitter with exceptional strike-zone recognition and above-average raw power. His swing got long, slow and steep during his 2019 struggles, so the Padres reset his hand position to get him quicker to the ball. Ornelas is not particularly twitchy so he needs to keep his swing short. He swings at the right pitches and has the strength to drive the ball when he stays on plane and finds the barrel. Ornelas moves well for his size and is playable in right field. His arm strength previously flashed above-average but has regressed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas' swing improvements were a promising first step. They need to hold for him to rise in 2021.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #25 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas' rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million during their 2016 international signing spree. They aggressively pushed him to high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, but Ornelas fell flat. His swing became so long and slow the Padres demoted him to the Rookielevel Arizona League for a complete swing construction midseason, and he finished the year batting .220 with one home run.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a hulking lefthanded slugger with an advanced eye at the plate. He stays within the strike zone and swings at strikes, but his swing needs work. Ornelas is often too steep entering the zone and lacks twitch, so he's often late as well. When he levels out his swing and is on time he drives the ball gap-to-gap and teases plus raw power. Ornelas moves well for a big man and has a chance to become an average defensive right fielder, although his fringe-average arm needs to improve.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas' youth and strength provide reasons for optimism, but his bat speed and swing length keep trending the wrong direction. He is slated to repeat Lake Elsinore in 2020.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #20 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Padres continued their relationship with the Mexican League's Mexico City franchise by purchasing Ornelas' rights for $1.5 million in 2016. He immediately opened eyes when he arrived at the Padres' complex and continued to impress as the second-youngest player on Opening Day in the Midwest League in 2018. Physical and patient, Ornelas showed an advanced approach and growing power before a bone bruise in his right hand ended his season in late July.
  
  Scouting Report: At times Ornelas looks like the best hitting prospect in the Padres system. Physically imposing at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with big power from the left side, Ornelas takes a steady approach, sees the ball well and takes his walks while limiting his strikeouts. Ornelas' swing is powerful and pretty, but he's still young and fine-tuning it. He'll be too steep in his entry into the zone at times, resulting in weak popups to left. When he's right, he powers balls out to right field and teases 25-plus home run potential. Ornelas has improved to an average runner and catches what he gets to in right field, but he will have to watch his size to avoid a move to first base.
  
  The Future: Ornelas' bat is going to be his carrying card. Staying healthy and getting his swing more consistent are the goals for 2019.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #31 prospect in 2018
  The Padres signed Luis Urias from the Mexico City Red Devils in 2013 and followed with Andres Munoz in 2015. They kept the relationship going by signing Ornelas for $1.5 million in 2016. Ornelas is a physical 6-foot-4 outfielder with a loud bat that has drawn scouts' attention since he first arrived at the Padres complex as a 16-year-old. Ornelas already shows above-average raw power with plenty of room to add more as he matures physically. He gets to the ball quickly with a good combination of bat speed, timing, rhythm and hand-eye coordination, producing an easy swing with easy power. His pitch recognition is advanced and he puts in the work to refine his skills and make adjustments, plus makeup that will help him move up the ladder. Ornelas played center field in the AZL but is a below-average runner with a big body, destined for corner outfield or first base depending on how he fills out. He has an above-average arm. Evaluators dream on Ornelas as a future middle-of-the-order power hitter, but he is many years and developmental steps from getting there. He may go to low Class A Fort Wayne as an 18-year-old in 2018.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Track Record: The Padres purchased Ornelas&#39 rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million and pushed him quickly up their system. He stumbled at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, batting .220 with one home run and while being demoted at midseason. Ornelas showed signs of breaking out with a new swing at the end of the year and carried it forward in the Mexican Winter League in 2020, but his time there was cut short when he broke his forearm diving for a ball in the outfield.
  
  Scouting Report: Ornelas is a physical lefthanded hitter with exceptional strike-zone recognition and above-average raw power. His swing got long, slow and steep during his 2019 struggles, so the Padres reset his hand position to get him quicker to the ball. Ornelas is not particularly twitchy so he needs to keep his swing short. He swings at the right pitches and has the strength to drive the ball when he stays on plane and finds the barrel. Ornelas moves well for his size and is playable in right field. His arm strength previously flashed above-average but has regressed.
  
  The Future: Ornelas&#39 swing improvements were a promising first step. They need to hold for him to rise in 2021.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas' rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million and pushed him quickly up their system. He stumbled at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, batting .220 with one home run and while being demoted at midseason. Ornelas showed signs of breaking out with a new swing at the end of the year and carried it forward in the Mexican Winter League in 2020, but his time there was cut short when he broke his forearm diving for a ball in the outfield.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a physical lefthanded hitter with exceptional strike-zone recognition and above-average raw power. His swing got long, slow and steep during his 2019 struggles, so the Padres reset his hand position to get him quicker to the ball. Ornelas is not particularly twitchy so he needs to keep his swing short. He swings at the right pitches and has the strength to drive the ball when he stays on plane and finds the barrel. Ornelas moves well for his size and is playable in right field. His arm strength previously flashed above-average but has regressed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas' swing improvements were a promising first step. They need to hold for him to rise in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas' rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million and pushed him quickly up their system. He stumbled at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, batting .220 with one home run and while being demoted at midseason. Ornelas showed signs of breaking out with a new swing at the end of the year and carried it forward in the Mexican Winter League in 2020, but his time there was cut short when he broke his forearm diving for a ball in the outfield.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a physical lefthanded hitter with exceptional strike-zone recognition and above-average raw power. His swing got long, slow and steep during his 2019 struggles, so the Padres reset his hand position to get him quicker to the ball. Ornelas is not particularly twitchy so he needs to keep his swing short. He swings at the right pitches and has the strength to drive the ball when he stays on plane and finds the barrel. Ornelas moves well for his size and is playable in right field. His arm strength previously flashed above-average but has regressed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas' swing improvements were a promising first step. They need to hold for him to rise in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas' rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million and pushed him quickly up their system. He stumbled at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, batting .220 with one home run and while being demoted at midseason. Ornelas showed signs of breaking out with a new swing at the end of the year and carried it forward in the Mexican Winter League in 2020, but his time there was cut short when he broke his forearm diving for a ball in the outfield.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a physical lefthanded hitter with exceptional strike-zone recognition and above-average raw power. His swing got long, slow and steep during his 2019 struggles, so the Padres reset his hand position to get him quicker to the ball. Ornelas is not particularly twitchy so he needs to keep his swing short. He swings at the right pitches and has the strength to drive the ball when he stays on plane and finds the barrel. Ornelas moves well for his size and is playable in right field. His arm strength previously flashed above-average but has regressed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas' swing improvements were a promising first step. They need to hold for him to rise in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas’ rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million during their 2016 international signing spree. They aggressively pushed him to high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, but Ornelas fell flat. His swing became so long and slow the Padres demoted him to the Rookielevel Arizona League for a complete swing construction midseason, and he finished the year batting .220 with one home run.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a hulking lefthanded slugger with an advanced eye at the plate. He stays within the strike zone and swings at strikes, but his swing needs work. Ornelas is often too steep entering the zone and lacks twitch, so he’s often late as well. When he levels out his swing and is on time he drives the ball gap-to-gap and teases plus raw power. Ornelas moves well for a big man and has a chance to become an average defensive right fielder, although his fringe-average arm needs to improve. BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme BA GRADE 45 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: High
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas’ youth and strength provide reasons for optimism, but his bat speed and swing length keep trending the wrong direction. He is slated to repeat Lake Elsinore in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Ornelas' rights from the Mexican League for $1.5 million during their 2016 international signing spree. They aggressively pushed him to high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2019, but Ornelas fell flat. His swing became so long and slow the Padres demoted him to the Rookielevel Arizona League for a complete swing construction midseason, and he finished the year batting .220 with one home run.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Ornelas is a hulking lefthanded slugger with an advanced eye at the plate. He stays within the strike zone and swings at strikes, but his swing needs work. Ornelas is often too steep entering the zone and lacks twitch, so he's often late as well. When he levels out his swing and is on time he drives the ball gap-to-gap and teases plus raw power. Ornelas moves well for a big man and has a chance to become an average defensive right fielder, although his fringe-average arm needs to improve.
  
  THE FUTURE: Ornelas' youth and strength provide reasons for optimism, but his bat speed and swing length keep trending the wrong direction. He is slated to repeat Lake Elsinore in 2020.