INF Nate Ochoa, 6th round (171st) – Washington Nationals - Signed $375,000
Hometown: Burlington, Ont.
Born: Mississauga, Ont.
Bats/Throws: R-R
Height/Weight: 6’4” 210 lbs.
Slot Value: $308,700
Scout: Scott Ramsey
Team: Trenton Thunder, MLB Draft League, FieldHouse Pirates
Manager: Jeff Manto
Rankings: 431st on Perfect Game top 600 final rankings (July 14, 2022) ... Perfect Game’s top shortstop in Ontario, 8th overall ... 121st shortstop in North America, according to Perfect Game ... 328th on Perfect Game’s top 500 (May 3).
Previous Teams: Evoshield, Junior National Team, Burlington Bulls, Burlington Bears.
Previous Coaches: Jimmy Richardson, Greg Hamilton, Jordan Windisch, Lee Delfino, Paul Howarth and Vinny Cambruzzi.
Committed to: University of Alabama (Previously Purdue University).
Good genes: His father, Mariano, was a Cuban National ping pong champ in his childhood.
The most influential person in his baseball life: “I have multiple influential people in my life and in my baseball career. My family has been a huge part being as supportive as they are. My coaches, Lee Delfino, Jimmy Richardson, and T.J. Singh have been a big part of my life, helping me in all aspects of the game and life in general guiding me with the knowledge they have obtained over the years. Also my best friends like Cameron Gurney and Owen Millar. Plus Owen Caissie who has taught me what he’s learned being in pro ball and helping me with the process that he’s been through before.”
2022 summer with Trenton, MLB Draft League: Hitting .224 with three doubles, seven RBIs and a .623 OPS in 31 games.
2022 spring with the Fort Lauderdale Stars: Hit a grand slam facing his old teammates with the JUnior National Team.
2021 season with NEB National _ Batted .385 Players (5-for-13) with three RBIs to make WWBA all-tournament team at Jupiter.
Honors
2022 season with FieldHouse Pirates _ Named to the Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All-American and All-Region Teams First Team honors for Canada/Puerto Rico ... 2021 season with NEB National and FieldHouse Pirates: All Tournament Team at WWBA World Championship in Jupiter ... Named to Rawlings/Perfect Game Underclass All American Honorable Mention for Canada/Puerto Rico region ... 2020 season with FieldHouse Pirates _ Selected to Rawlings/Perfect Game Underclass All American Honorable Mention for Canada/Puerto Rico region.
Scouting Report
Perfect Game
Nathaniel Ochoa (2022, Burlington, Ont.) is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound shortstop for NEB National. Went 1-for-3 at the plate with a single to knock in a run and scored a run in their 6-5 comeback victory over Slammers Baseball 2022. The big shortstop from Canada has shown good actions on the defensive side of the ball with barrel awareness at the plate during the tournament with a .364 average over 12 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter has shown the ability to make adjustments in the box and find the barrel during at-bats with the ability to use the whole field. Present strength through swing with a frame that has room to fill for the uncommitted 2022 with pro scouts eyeing a possible move to third base with added size to his big 17 year-old frame.