Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45

It’s not typical that a college pitcher’s performance in the College World Series impacts his Draft stock that year, but it’s hard to imagine that Cortez’s run coming out of Texas A&M’s bullpen as the Aggies finished second in Omaha didn’t help him. Cortez had started and relieved over his three years, and he took off with a multi-inning bullpen role last year, dominating postseason play (1.18 ERA, 29 strikeouts in 15 2/3 inning) to cap off a very strong junior campaign. The Angels nabbed him in the second round of last year’s Draft and signed him for $1.6 million but didn’t send him out to pitch at all after his long year.

Cortez enters pro ball with two plus pitches that really play. He actually threw his 86-92 mph power slider more than his fastball last year, and it’s easy to see why. It features horizontal and vertical action and elicited a 56-percent miss rate, according to Synergy. His fastball averaged a tick over 98 mph in 2024 and topped out at 101, thrown with power sink that’s extremely difficult to leverage. He has an upper-80s changeup, but it gathered a lot of dust on the pitching shelf.

The 6-foot-1 right-hander generates those premium pitches without much effort, so there is some thought that he could be stretched out to start in pro ball. For that to work, he’s going to have to find the strike zone a lot more consistently (5.1 BB/9 last year was an improvement from 2023) and develop a third pitch. If he sticks in the bullpen and can be around the zone at all, he could zoom through a system in an organization that likes to get guys to the big leagues in a hurry.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Scouts flocked to Silverado HS (Las Vegas) in 2021 to see Tanner McDougal, who signed with the White Sox as a fifth-rounder, and Cortez, who had a better senior season and opted to attend Texas A&M. He has served in a variety of roles for the Aggies, opening this year as a starter before finding more success as a multi-inning reliever and dominating in the NCAA Tournament (1.18 ERA, 29 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings) as A&M finished second in the Men's College World Series. The Angels saw an arm that could potential get to the big leagues quickly and took him in the second round of this year’s Draft, signing him for a below-slot $1.6 million.

With little effort, Cortez produces fastballs that park at 96-98 mph and peak at 100 with power sink that makes them almost impossible to lift. Hitters can't try to sit on his heater because he also has a power slider that ranges from 86-92 mph with plenty of horizontal and vertical action. He doesn't have much feel for an upper-80s changeup with modest fade and rarely uses it.

Cortez's control has fluctuated wildly in college as he pounded the strike zone as a freshman before walking nearly a batter per inning as a sophomore. He has thrown more strikes in 2024, though he's doing it by getting chases rather than consistently landing his pitches in the zone. The Angels could consider trying him as a starter but a more realistic ceiling would be as a high-leverage reliever.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Silverado High School in Las Vegas has had a dozen players drafted, but none since 2012, with Drew Robinson the only product to make it to the big leagues. This spring, scouts headed to Vegas to see a pair of arms at that high school, Tanner McDougal and Cortez, both of whom have arm strength to spare. 

While McDougal is bigger and throws hard, it was Cortez who had his name rising up Draft boards during the relatively short Las Vegas high school season. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, he’s a strong and athletic right-hander with the chance to have three legitimate offerings. He’ll throw his fastball in the 90-96 mph range and he goes right after hitters with the pitch. Everything else plays off his heater, with a hard breaking ball and a solid changeup that both should be at least Major League average pitches in the future.

Cortez’s athleticism should help him repeat his delivery and throw strikes as he progresses, with the chance to perhaps have better than average command in the future. That gives the Arizona recruit the chance to become the first Silverado product to go in the top 10 rounds since Robinson was a fourth-rounder in 2010.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Scouts flocked to Silverado HS (Las Vegas) in 2021 to see Tanner McDougal, who signed with the White Sox as a fifth-rounder, and Cortez, who had a better senior season and opted to attend Texas A&M. He has served in a variety of roles for the Aggies, opening this year as a starter before finding more success as a multi-inning reliever and dominating in the NCAA Tournament (1.18 ERA, 29 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings) as A&M finished second at the College World Series.

With little effort, Cortez produces fastballs that park at 96-98 mph and peak at 100 with power sink that makes them almost impossible to lift. Hitters can't try to sit on his heater because he also has a power slider that ranges from 86-92 mph with plenty of horizontal and vertical action. He doesn't have much feel for an upper-80s changeup with modest fade and rarely uses it.

Cortez's control has fluctuated wildly in college, as he pounded the strike zone as a freshman before walking nearly a batter per inning as a sophomore. He has thrown more strikes in 2024, though he's doing it by getting chases rather than consistently landing his pitches in the zone. Some clubs may consider trying him as a starter but a more realistic ceiling would be as a high-leverage reliever.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	04/02/2025	RHP Chris Cortez assigned to Tri-City Dust Devils from ACL Angels.
	03/06/2025	activated RHP Chris Cortez.
	02/04/2025	Los Angeles Angels invited non-roster RHP Chris Cortez to spring training.
	08/05/2024	RHP Chris Cortez assigned to ACL Angels.
	07/16/2024	Los Angeles Angels signed RHP Chris Cortez.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated RHP Chris Cortez.
	02/20/2024	RHP Chris Cortez assigned to Texas A&M Aggies.
	02/24/2023	RHP Chris Cortez assigned to Texas A&M Aggies.
	07/05/2021	RHP Chris Cortez and assigned to College Workout.