On March 30, the Twins called up infielder/outfielder Austin Martin after Royce Lewis went on the IL. Martin will get his first look in the Majors after what’s been a turbulent time in the Minor Leagues.
A Look at Martin
The Blue Jays drafted Austin Martin with the fifth overall pick in 2020, a bit lower than anticipated heading into that year’s college season. Martin played a key role in Vanderbilt’s 2019 NCAA Championship team, showcased five tools, and posted a 1.168 OPS in the shortened 2020 season.
However, Martin — traded to Minnesota in the Jose Berrios trade — just hasn’t developed into a 20-20 player with elite tools, which is what was expected of him when he was drafted.
Martin has played no more than 93 games in a pro season, as the 25-year-old spent time on the Minor League IL in each of his first three seasons in the Minors. Among his injuries included a torn UCL to his non-throwing elbow.
And when he’s been on the field, his career ISO of .101 isn’t all that impressive.
Per reports, the Twins tried to work with Martin to drive the baseball with authority — with little luck. Yes, he can still lift a baseball in or down the plate, but Martin’s lack of game power today is different from what he flashed with Vanderbilt.
Martin did have reverse splits as a Minor League – Martin posted a .819 OPS in 2023 against RHP but a .627 OPS against LHP. His 2022 numbers (.689 OPS vs. LHP, .680 OPS vs. RHP) were roughly the same.
What Martin does have is very good speed, good contact skills, as well as the ability to get on base. The 25-year-old sports a career Minor League walk rate of 13.3% BB% and just a 16.5% K% rate. He stole a career-high 35 bases in 2022.
Martin spent a significant amount of time at short early on his pro career. But in 2023, Martin didn’t play a single game at short and played at second, as well as left and center field.
Austin Martin was called up by the Twins on March 30 to replace the injured Royce Lewis and made his MLB debut as a pinch runner. He did not get an at-bat in the game.
Analysis
The loss of Lewis is a massive blow, especially since the word (h/t St. Paul Pioneer Press) is that his quad strain is “severe.” But in the interim, the Twins will get to see what Martin has to offer at the MLB level.
Now, it’s going to be interesting to see how the Twins utilize Martin. The 25-year-old initially made his MLB debut as a pinch runner, something that might become a common occurrence given his speed.
The Twins have Edouard Julien entrenched at second, as well as an outfielder that includes Matt Wallner, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, and Manuel Margot — meaning that time on the field will likely be sparse unless another starter goes down.