Chris Cortez Stats & Scouting Report

IP	8.2
ERA	7.27
WHIP	2.080
BB/9	10.4
SO/9	7.3

Full name Christopher Diaz Cortez
Born 10/06/2002 in Las Vegas, NV
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas A&M
Drafted in the 2nd round (45th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 (signed for $1,597,500).

View Draft Report

School: Texas A&M
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 40. Control: 40.

Cortez was a lightning-armed prep at Las Vegas’ Silverado High who ranked as the No. 220 prospect in the 2021 draft class, but he was raw as a pitcher and wound up making it to campus at Texas A&M. He started a handful of games in his three seasons with the program but has primarily been used as a reliever. He had a career-best season in 2024, when he posted a 2.83 ERA over 57.1 innings with a 37.1% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate. A 6-foot-1, 205-pound righthander, Cortez is one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the class. He averaged 98 mph with his fastball this spring and has been up to 101 with solid sinking life. The pitch plays best at the bottom of the zone and makes him a groundball machine, and he should break many wood bats in pro ball. Cortez did a nice job keeping the pitch down throughout the spring and he complements his fastball with a hard, upper-80s slider that features impressive horizontal movement for its velocity. It was a consistent swing-and-miss pitch and is far and away his most reliable secondary, though he will also mix in a firm upper-80s changeup at times. Cortez is a likely reliever with the power stuff to be an impact arm out of the bullpen.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Cortez split time between the rotation and bullpen over three years at Texas A&M before settling into a multi-inning, high-leverage relief role as a junior. He posted a 2.78 ERA and 36.7% strikeout rate over 62.2 innings, helping the Aggies reach the College World Series final. The Angels selected him 45th overall in 2024 and signed him to an under-slot bonus just shy of $1.6 million. Cortez spent his pro debut in 2025 with High-A Tri-City, logging 113.2 innings across 26 starts with a 4.28 ERA and an alarming 16.4% walk rate.

Scouting Report: Cortez is a power-armed righthander with an electric sinker-slider combination. His plus-plus sinker averages 98 mph and touches 101 with 17 inches of horizontal break, busting righthanded bats on the inner half and flying away from lefthanded hitters. He counters his sinker with a hard, swing-and-miss slider that he can manipulate from a mid-80s vertical breaker to an 87-91 mph horizontal secondary with more sweep and cutting action. He’ll need a more consistent release and feel for his breaker for it to become a plus weapon. Cortez rarely uses his mid-80s changeup. His plus arm speed and low-effort delivery helps him easily access powerful velocity and hold it throughout outings, but he is a below-average strike-thrower likely destined for the bullpen.

The Future: The Angels will continue developing Cortez as a starter despite below-average control. If he moves to relief, his powerful sinker/slider combination could allow him to move quickly with high-leverage upside.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 30
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Cortez was a three-year member of Texas A&M’s pitching staff, splitting time between the rotation and bullpen before a standout junior campaign, when he posted a 2.78 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 62.2 innings in a multi-inning high-leverage bullpen role. His career ended on a stellar run through the NCAA tournament, where he struck out 42% of hitters to help the Aggies to a runner-up finish in the College World Series. The Angels drafted him No. 45 overall in 2024 and signed him to an under-slot $1,597,500 bonus, then shut him down as part of his workload management.

Scouting Report: A powerful 6-foot-1 righthander, Cortez has an electric sinker-slider combination. His power sinker averages 98 mph and touches 101 with heavy armside run, making it hard to elevate when down in the zone. He counters his sinker with a hard, swing-and-miss upper-80s slider that he can manipulate to have horizontal or vertical break. He rarely utilizes a firm upper-80s changeup and shows little feel for the pitch. His plus arm speed and low-effort delivery helps get to his powerful arsenal with ease, but Cortez can get erratic with strikes, finishing his cross-body delivery with some recoil.

The Future: The Angels will develop Cortez as a starter, although he’ll need to clean up his control and find a third pitch to remain on that track. He has a fallback as a powerful reliever whose power sinker-slider could play in high-leverage opportunities.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40.

Draft Prospects

School: Texas A&M Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 40. Control: 40.

Cortez was a lightning-armed prep at Las Vegas’ Silverado High who ranked as the No. 220 prospect in the 2021 draft class, but he was raw as a pitcher and wound up making it to campus at Texas A&M. He started a handful of games in his three seasons with the program but has primarily been used as a reliever. He had a career-best season in 2024, when he posted a 2.83 ERA over 57.1 innings with a 37.1% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate. A 6-foot-1, 205-pound righthander, Cortez is one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the class. He averaged 98 mph with his fastball this spring and has been up to 101 with solid sinking life. The pitch plays best at the bottom of the zone and makes him a groundball machine, and he should break many wood bats in pro ball. Cortez did a nice job keeping the pitch down throughout the spring and he complements his fastball with a hard, upper-80s slider that features impressive horizontal movement for its velocity. It was a consistent swing-and-miss pitch and is far and away his most reliable secondary, though he will also mix in a firm upper-80s changeup at times. Cortez is a likely reliever with the power stuff to be an impact arm out of the bullpen.

Career Transactions

RHP Chris Cortez assigned to Rocket City Trash Pandas from Tri-City Dust Devils.
Los Angeles Angels invited non-roster RHP Chris Cortez to spring training.
RHP Chris Cortez assigned to Tri-City Dust Devils from ACL Angels.
Los Angeles Angels invited non-roster RHP Chris Cortez to spring training.
RHP Chris Cortez assigned to ACL Angels.
Los Angeles Angels signed RHP Chris Cortez.
RHP Chris Cortez assigned to Texas A&M Aggies.
RHP Chris Cortez and assigned to College Workout.