Ornelas was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona League Rangers and in 48 games hit .302/.389/.459 with 3 home runs, 28 RBI, and 15 stolen bases over 48 games in his professional debut season of 2018.[7] Ornelas spent the 2019 season with the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League, hitting .257/.333/.373 with 6 home runs, 13 stolen bases, and 38 RBI.[8] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Ornelas returned to Hickory (which had moved classification to the High-A East level), hitting .261/.310/.394 with 8 home runs, 9 stolen bases, and 38 RBI.[10] Ornelas spent the 2022 season with the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League.[11] He hit .299/.360/.425 with 14 home runs, 64 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and tied the Frisco franchise record by recording 157 hits in 2022.[12] Ornelas was named the Texas Rangers 2022 minor league Defender of the Year.[13]
On November 15, 2022, the Rangers added Ornelas to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[14] Ornelas was optioned to the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League to begin the 2023 season.[15] On August 7, Ornelas was called up to the major leagues for the first time.[16] He made his debut that night versus the Oakland Athletics as a pinch runner, scoring the eventual winning run in the eighth inning.[17]
Ornelas was optioned to Triple–A Round Rock to begin the 2024 season.[18] He was called up on June 30 following an injury to Corey Seager.[19] In 18 appearances for Texas, Ornelas batted .216/.256/.270 with three RBI.
Ornelas was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to begin the 2025 season.[20] He played in four games for Texas, recording one walk and going hitless in five at-bats. Ornelas was designated for assignment by the Rangers on May 19, 2025.[21]
On May 24, 2025, Ornelas was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations and optioned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers.[22] He played in two games for Atlanta, totaling two hits in four at-bats. On September 19, Ornelas was designated for assignment by the Braves.[23] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers on September 25.[24] Ornelas elected free agency following the season on November 6.[25][26]
On November 14, 2025, Ornelas signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.[27]
