ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (February 6, 2025) – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today the club has loaned forward Cristian Ortiz to MLS Next Pro side Columbus Crew 2 for the 2025 season. Per club policy, the terms of the loan agreement were not disclosed.
“We felt this loan move was a great opportunity for Cristian to further develop his career,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “We believe at this stage he needs regular minutes and to start matches. Playing regularly for Columbus Crew 2 will hugely benefit him. We will continue to monitor and follow his development closely in Columbus, and we look forward to seeing him back in Tampa Bay in the future.”
Last year marked Ortiz’s first year in the professional ranks, as he became the Rowdies first USL Academy player to sign a professional contract with the club. The 17-year-old striker logged seven appearances in USL Championship play and two additional appearances in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the Rowdies during his first season.
Ortiz also earned the international spotlight in 2024. Two months after signing his professional contract with Tampa Bay, the young attacker was called up to the Dominican Republic U20 team for the 2024 Concacaf U20 Championship. Despite being the youngest player on the squad, Ortiz started in all three group-stage matches for the Dominican Republic. Ortiz then made his senior national team debut for the Dominican Republic as a substitute in the team’s win over Dominica in the 2024-2025 Concacaf Nations League this past September.
