MLB shuffles umpiring staff, appoints 1st Puerto Rican full-time ump
Major League Baseball announced changes to its umpiring staff Friday, promoting five officials to the full-time staff following the retirements of Joe West, Kerwin Danley, Gerry Davis, Brian Gorman, and Fieldin Culbreth.
Ryan Additon, Sean Barber, John Libka, Ben May, and Roberto Ortiz are the new additions to the full-time staff. Ortiz will become the first Puerto Rican-born full-time MLB umpire.
Five umpires have been promoted to the full-time Major League staff: Ryan Additon, Sean Barber, John Libka, Ben May and Roberto Ortiz, who becomes the first Puerto Rican-born umpire ever to join the Major League staff. Congrats to the new umpires, retirees and new Crew Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/Kd9G76Ctu3
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) February 4, 2022
Ortiz, 37, has been a minor-league ump since 2009 and served in Triple-A East last year. He's umpired 411 MLB games as a call-up since 2016.
MLB also appointed five new crew chiefs, naming Laz Diaz, Greg Gibson, Marvin Hudson, Ron Kulpa, and Bill Welke to the vacant roles.