The Big Papi legacy baton is being passed on to the younger generations. How so? Well, during Tuesday’s 19th round of the MLB draft, the Boston Red Sox drafted D’Angelo Ortiz, the son of Red Sox legend David Ortiz. The legacy of Big Papi is often remembered as one of the best hitters of his generation. For the Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz spent 14 seasons putting in an average of .286 and an impressive .931 OPS. Further elevating these achievements, he was also added to the 2022 prestigious Hall of Fame. 

However, unlike his father, D’Angelo has a slightly different approach. He bats right-handed and holds the third-base position, and D’Angelo’s selection brings him back to the team he grew up with. Inheriting a few attributes, the Miami Dade college prospect has an astonishing 6-foot-1 height and weighs 190 pounds. Sharing some dissimilarities, he is 2 inches short and 40 pounds lighter than his father, who seemed all-praise and proud for his son’s selection on the Fox Sports channel. 

David Ortiz’s emotional words on his son D’Angelo’s selection

Despite David Ortiz not being with his son at the time of selection, the Red Sox legend still expressed his emotions. During the pre-show meeting, Big Papi got a call from his son. Following this, an emotional and proud father, David, said, “That was unbelievable. It’s a great feeling. When you see your kids moving forward in their life, (getting) success and all this stuff, a lot of emotion go through you.” Indeed, D’Angelo deserves every bit to be drafted by the Boston Red Sox.

The 20-year-old showed his potential during his 51 games at Miami Dade College. While batting, he averaged .377., collected a single homer, and even maintained an impressive 35 RBIs. Also, he struck out 21 times and made 29 walks in his college career. 

Proud of his son’s hard work resulting in a selection, David Ortiz further noted, “Big boy, you know, let’s do it. Let’s keep up the good work. Daddy loves you.” While Big Papi played illustrious fourteen seasons with the Red Sox, he might be happy to witness his son play for the same franchise. And D’Angelo is no stranger to playing in Boston, especially since his father spent nearly a decade playing for the Boston Red Sox club. 

Additionally, D’Angelo also participated in the Futures Collegiate League, where he slashed .325/.426/.350 in just 54 games for the Brockton Rox. Right now, the younger Ortiz is at a nascent baseball stage and has a long way to go, considering he inherited the genes of David, who has been an icon in MLB and boasted crazy stats during his days. 

A look at ‘Big Papi’ aka Ortiz’s crazy MLB stats

David Ortiz is one of the best players of his generation. He has a long list of achievements, including World Series titles, seven Silver Slugger awards, a World Series MVP, and a colossal 10 All-Star game selection. Initially starting his career with the Minnesota Twins, he found his home in Boston. With the Red Sox, he even helped break their long-held trophy drought in 2004, which was prevalent since 1918. His tenure at the team saw three World Series title wins in 2004, 2007, and 2013. 

Speaking about Big Papi’s stats with the Red Sox, the numbers are insane. He finished his career with a metronomic .286/.380/.552 slash line. Also, he extended his home runs to 541 and jumped up his RBI to 1,768 from 1,530 towards the end of his MLB career. Aside from being a renowned hitter, Ortiz has even been one of the best clutch players ever. During his career, he has 11 walk-off home runs and a two during the postseason as he smashed a grand slam against the Tigers in the 2013 ALCS. 

Nevertheless, David Ortiz is among the greats, and now, it’s time for his son D’ Angelo to ablaze his talent and skills. Though the young lad will make mistakes, he will probably learn from the best, ‘Big Papi’, who would love to see his son play MLB for his beloved Boston Red Sox team. What was the ‘Big Papi’ moment that you still cherish from his playing days? Let us know in the comments.