2/09/26
Some players grab your attention before the first pitch is even thrown — and Martinez was one of those guys last Monday night.
During pregame in-and-out, he immediately stood out. The ball jumped out of his hand across the infield with easy backspin and carry, and when you pair that arm strength with a long, lean 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, it was impossible not to lock in on him for the rest of the evening.
At the plate, Martinez utilizes a leg-lift load and controlled stride, taking aggressive, intent-filled swings. There’s present bat speed with plenty of projection remaining as he continues to add strength to his frame. He showed a mature approach in his first at-bat, working a five-pitch walk. In his second trip, he took a confident first-pitch swing and just missed getting underneath a fastball for a fly out to left. By his third plate appearance, he made a clear adjustment — turning on a fastball up and in, keeping his hands tight to his body, and lining a single right back up the middle.
Martinez finished the night 1-for-2 with a walk, but the overall look was even more impressive than the stat line.
According to the John Curtis staff, he’s also been up to 89-90 mph on the mound, adding another layer of intrigue. With his size, arm strength, and athleticism, there’s legitimate two-way upside for the uncommitted senior — and plenty of reason for college programs to be tracking him closely this spring.