J. P. Martínez
Texas Rangers – No. 50
Outfielder
Born: (1996-03-21) March 21, 1996
Baracoa, Cuba
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 11, 2023, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.225
Home runs1
Runs batted in4
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Cuba
18U Baseball World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Taichung Team

Julio Pablo Martínez Sánchez (born March 21, 1996) is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Career

Martínez began his professional career in the Cuban National Series from 2012 through 2017, playing for Guantánamo, Isla de la Juventud, and Camagüey.[1] In 2016, Martínez played for the Cuba national baseball team when they played 20 games in the Can-Am League.[1] He played for the Trois-Rivières Aigles in the Can-Am League in 2017.[2] In November 2017, Martínez defected from Cuba.[3]

Texas Rangers

Martínez signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent in March 2018.[4][5] He made his professional debut that year with the DSL Rangers of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, and was promoted to the Spokane Indians of the Low–A Northwest League after nine games in the DSL in which he batted .409. In 60 games for Spokane he batted .266 with nine home runs, 24 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases.[6] After the 2018 regular season, Martínez played for the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League. On October 22, 2018, Martínez hit for the Cycle, going 4–4 with a walk.[7] Martínez was ranked as the #78 overall prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus in their preseason 2019 Top 101 list.[8] Martínez was also ranked as the #88 overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline in their preseason 2019 Top 100 list.[9]

Martínez was assigned to the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League to open the 2019 season.[10] He was promoted to the Down East Wood Ducks of the High–A Carolina League on April 17, after hitting .250 with 1 home run and 5 RBI.[11] With Down East, he hit .248/.319/.423/.741 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI over 113 games.[12][13] Martínez did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent the 2021 season with the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Central, hitting .242/.355/.368 with 5 home runs and 28 RBI.[14] He split the 2022 season between Frisco and the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, hitting a combined .243/.360/.433 with 15 home runs, 45 RBI, and 39 stolen bases. He returned to Round Rock to open the 2023 season, hitting .312/.427/.565 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, and 33 stolen bases over 67 games.[15]

On August 11, 2023, the Rangers selected Martínez's contract to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time to make his MLB debut that night.[16][17] Martínez recorded his first MLB hit on August 12, a single off of Alex Cobb.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 T.R. Sulliavn (April 19, 2018). "Cuban prospect Martinez, Rangers make it official". MLB.com. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  2. ↑ John Sickels (March 22, 2018). "2018 MLB Prospect Profile: Julio Pablo Martinez, OF, Texas Rangers". Minor League Ball. SB Nation. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  3. ↑ Adam Wells (March 6, 2018). "Report: Rangers Agree to Contract with Cuban Prospect Julio Pablo Martinez". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Top MLB International Prospects 2018". Baseball America. March 1, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ Jeff Wilson (March 5, 2018). "Texas Rangers spring training: Rangers cautiously optimistic about signing Cuban free agent". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Julio Pablo Martinez Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  7. ↑ Michael Avallone (October 23, 2018). "Martinez hops on a cycle for Surprise". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  8. ↑ "2019 Prospects: The Top 101". Baseball Prospectus. January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  9. ↑ Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum (January 26, 2019). "Top 100 prospects revealed live on MLB Network". MLB.com. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  10. ↑ Salinas, Ashley (March 27, 2019). "Crawdads Announce Opening Night Roster". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  11. ↑ Chris Bumbaca (April 17, 2019). "Rangers' Martinez heads to Wood Ducks". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  12. ↑ Matt Present (September 3, 2019). "Martinez Named Carolina League Player of the Week". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  13. ↑ Jamey Newberg (September 12, 2019). "Long-term looks: Three high-upside Rangers outfield prospects on the horizon". The Athletic. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  14. ↑ Kennedi Landry (April 30, 2021). "Where will Rangers' top prospects begin '21?". MLB.com. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  15. ↑ McDonald, Darragh (August 9, 2023). "Rangers Expected To Select J.P. Martínez". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  16. ↑ Grant, Evan (August 9, 2023). "Rangers expected to add outfielder J.P. Martinez to major league roster". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ Grant, Evan (August 11, 2023). "J.P. Martinez is getting his big moment with Rangers. Now he has to make something of it". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  18. ↑ "J.P. Martinez's first MLB hit | 08/12/2023". MLB.com. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
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