J.D. Martinez did not start his major league career in auspicious fashion, but as a 20th-round pick in 2009, it’s remarkable that the outfielder even made his way to the bigs. Houston took Martinez in the draft, and though he was highly productive in the organization’s system through 2011, he was unable to transfer that success to the bigs from the get-go. Martinez amassed 975 plate appearances as an Astro from 2011-13, but he hit a subpar .251/.300/.387 with 24 home runs during that time. Houston gave up on Martinez after that.
On March 22, 2014, the Astros said goodbye to Martinez, releasing him a half-decade after drafting him. However, Martinez has been on a rampage since then. Thanks to the help of hitting coaches Craig Wallenbrock and Robert Van Scoyoc, Martinez has turned into one of the best offensive players in baseball over the past several years.
The Tigers signed Martinez to a minor league contract in March 2014, and it proved to be a brilliant move for the club. Martinez became a star that year, in which he posted a line of .300/.361/.551 (145 wRC+) in 1,886 plate appearances. But Detroit, not expecting to be able to sign the soon-to-be free agent before 2018, traded him to Arizona in July 2017 in a deal that netted them infield prospects Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara and Jose King.
Unfortunately for Detroit, no one from the Lugo-Alcantara-King trio has given the team any value at the major league level thus far, and nobody from the that group is among MLB.com’s top 30 prospects for the Tigers right now. The D-backs probably don’t have any regrets, then, even though Martinez didn’t last long in their uniform. Over 257 PA in the desert, Martinez batted an incredible .302/.366/.741 (170 wRC+) with 29 homers, helping lead Arizona to a wild-card berth. The Diamondbacks got past that round against the Rockies, but they couldn’t overcome the Dodgers in the NLDS. That proved to be the end of the line for Martinez as part of the club.
After a drawn-out trip to free agency in the ensuing winter, the Red Sox signed Martinez to a five-year, $110MM guarantee in late February of 2018. There’s a narrative that players decline once they get a large payday, but that’s not the case for Martinez. Since he signed with Boston, Martinez has gone to a pair of All-Star Games, helped the Red Sox to a World Series championship (2018) and batted .317/.392/.593 (154 wRC+) with 79 homers in 1,306 PA. It’s obvious at this point that Martinez, now 32 years old, is among the premier hitters in baseball. Not bad for someone whom a team once gave up on in exchange for nothing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Just Dingers
I loved his time in a Dback’s uniform. That was so much fun. I’ll never forget it.
Sometimes it’s the hitting coaches who help always good to have coaches that fly under the radar and get no recognition
Yep. On those occasions when a player and coach connect, you get magic like that. I think the majority of people like to think good players will be good regardless, but we can take for granted how the situation around a player can make or break them in sports.
Jason Heyward is a player who I’ve always felt was the right hitting coach away from finally unlocking his full potential. He’s had a nice career, but the bat always left much to be desired for the most part. In basketball, I’d bet Carmelo Anthony would be perceived a lot different had he been drafted by the Pistons that year.
Heyward was a major hype job when with Atlanta. Can’t believe a big guy like that can’t hit a decent amount of home runs and not to mention strikes out to many times
Having watched his early years with the Braves and kept up with him even after he left, playing through injuries messed with his swing mechanics and forced him into some bad habits. He was rolling up until he got hurt his rookie year and then just never was the same even when his power returned in his third year.
Had he had better luck or not played hurt along with finding that “right” hitting coach, his career may have gone better than it did. Even so an over a decade in the show, an All-Star appearance, some gold gloves, World Series ring, and over $200 million in the bank is a great career.
Exactly, while he hasn’t been a terrible player and has been alright offensively other than his Cubs statistics, the Hank Aaron and Ken Griffey Jr. comparisons were premature, delusional and wishful thinking.
Carmelo would’ve been a stud in the triangle
offense if he would’ve sucked it up and been a pro about adopting it
Heyward plays clean, so that’s what you get. JD took a different route and that’s also what you can get.
Is there ANY proof?
his four homerun game is the highlight of his career
Also his defense is passable and good enough given his bat. The reason however not to play him in the outfield is his health. He seems to be able to stay in the batter’s box when he’s kept off the field.
What an incredible turnaround, he’s basically becoming the new David Ortiz with how lethal of a DH he is in a game where the position has become an excuse to give players a rest from playing the field. Not many true DHs left anymore.
I was just about to say that
The big papi part
that’s completely wrong. the DH position is ssaturated with guys who arw subpar fielders.
Except no indication of PED use. By all accounts hard work in listening to his coaches (old school) and the use of video (new school) has created the modern way to train.
*Watching illegally obtained video (school for scoundrels)
He was using iPads and securing legal video before 18 and brought that dedication to Boston.
And Ortiz was another guy who was given his walking papers (Twins) and went on to become a star.
Darkside – agreed. DH is so saturated that JD did not opt-out and will not get a better offer than $19.35 million each of the next two seasons.
The Red Sox need his bat especially with Betts having been traded to LA.
Agreed MLB. JDM missed bigger money as no one anticipated the DH going to the National League this way. Unless a pandemic vaccine is soon developed, the NL will likely keep the DH for at least 2021 yet teams are likely to control spending for the near future. Covid could even create a new style of contracts where players try to get guaranteed up front bonuses with the tax value spread over the life of the contract. Not saying teams will pay them but I see changes coming.
Jd was on Astros teams that lost 100 games each season so players are going to be cut. One could see some upside in power from jd.
That 1886 plate appearances the article says he made in 2014 must be a record!
JDM is a good hitter when healthy.
He has had back issues in 2019 and possible Lisfranc issues in previous years.
When he’s healthy he’s one of the best.
If I rated Big Papi an A+ I would rate JDM an A- (Mostly due to his health)
But then Big Papi is akso likely a Hall of Famer with 3 world series rings.
A tough act to follow.
Who wants to follow a cheater? Clemens has rings and awards too. Neither has admitted anything but some things just seem too good to be true. Again, I loved Papi after the marathon bombing but I would not vote either into the MLB HOF. Ethics have to mean something.
Looie – “Ethics have to mean something”. From your comment to God’s ear. I hope ethics still means something to those of us in the USA.
MLB , my initial reaction to your comment was to chuckle then to want to cry. Says it all about America today.
Amen
60% they do, its the 40% that watch Fox News not so much
We need more articles about teams that are cheaters.
We need more of your tears.
I agree. I haven’t seen a Red Sox or Yankees article in awhile.
Astros gotta be the happiest team on the planet. Had the season started on time, their players would have had their uniforms booed off. Now, after two months of lockdown, their cheating might be an afterthought when/if games begin.
No way they’re still gonna get trashed…pun intended
Nah, it’ll never be forgotten, or at least not anytime soon.
he looks like altuve in that pic
looks like Markakis to me
The Phillies picked up Jason Werth off the scrap heap, and without him, we might not have won the WS in 2008. Same was true of Shane Victorino. Phils took him in the Rule 5 Draft from the Dodgers. Offered him back but the Dodgers said, “No thank you.”
Astros also gave up way too soon on Curt Schilling and Bobby Abreu. I’m sure there are many more examples of players who for whatever reason didn’t cut it with their original organization and then went on to become all-star type players.
For you youngsters out there in Red Sox nation……….. i give you Jeff Bagwell…………..
Roberto Clemente got snagged by the Pirates from the Dodgers as well
that’s the difference between that era and this era of Phillies baseball. the current team’s greatest flaw might be its inability to find such talent.
Which is why Matt Klentak needs to go. Has the #1 overall pick and comes home with Mickey Moniak! I don’t even want to look at some of the players drafted later we could have had instead.
Astros gave up on Curt but as with Jeff Bagwell ,Curt was traded from Boston to Baltimore as part of Mike Bodiker trade in 88…..Bad yes but can anyone name a team that traded young or relatively young pitching talent only to see both arguably become the best right and left handed pitchers of their time???? PEDRO&RANDY(EXPOS)……………WOW…………
From auspicious to suspicious IMO.
Coop, your opinion is really interesting.
what other opinions do you have that are based on nothing?
A team many claimed were smartest in baseball. Same team gave Singleton 10 million before setting foot on ML field.
Same team that cant win without cheating either.
Singleton got a 10 million five year contract. That’s chump change.