J. D. Martinez

J. D. Martinez

Martinez with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers – No. 28
Outfielder
Born: August 21, 1987
Miami, Florida
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 30, 2011 for the Houston Astros
Career statistics
(through April 29, 2015)
Batting average .272
Hits 389
Home runs 53
Runs batted in 217
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • MLB Player of the Week (June 16-22, 2014)
Martinez batting for the Houston Astros in 2012

Julio Daniel "J. D." Martinez (born August 21, 1987) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is of Cuban descent and previously played for the Houston Astros.

Career

Martinez was drafted out of Flanagan High School in 2006 by the Minnesota Twins in the 36th round, 1086th overall, but he ended up going to college. He grew up a Florida Marlins fan. Martinez went to Nova Southeastern University, where from 2007–2009, he was a two-time All-Sunshine State Conference baseball player.

Houston Astros

Martinez was drafted after his junior year by the Houston Astros in 2009 in the 20th round, 611th overall. He was signed by Greg Brown who is now the head coach at NSU.[1] He became the first player drafted out of Nova Southeastern University to debut in Major League baseball.

He started with the Rookie level Greeneville Astros, where he batted .403 before earning a promotion to Short-Season Tri-City ValleyCats. He started the 2010 season with Single-A Lexington, where he earned a mid-season promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi. He started the 2011 season with Corpus Christi before earning a promotion to the big leagues.

On July 30, 2011, Martinez was called up to replace Hunter Pence, who was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.[2] He became the first player drafted out of Nova Southeastern University to debut in Major League baseball.

On April 13, 2012, Martinez hit the first ever home run in the new Marlins Park. With a man on in the eighth, he deposited an Edward Mujica offering into the Clevelander bar beyond the left-field wall for a game-tying blast.[3]

Martinez was outrighted off the Astros roster on November 20, 2013.[4] He was released on March 22, 2014.[5]

Detroit Tigers

On March 24, 2014 the Detroit Tigers signed Martinez to a minor league contract.[6] After hitting 10 home runs with 22 runs batted in over his first 17 games with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers purchased his contract, and he was called up and played his first game on April 21.[7]

Martinez was awarded the MLB Player of the Week Award for the period ending June 22. Martinez batted .444 (12-for-27) with three doubles, four home runs (including one grand slam), 11 RBIs and six runs scored in seven games to grab his first career weekly honor.[8] Martinez was named the Detroit Tigers' player of the month for June. Martinez batted .345 with nine doubles, seven home runs and 21 RBIs in the month of June, including a career-high 14 game hit streak. Martinez was tied for third in the American League in home runs during June.[9] Martinez finished the regular season with 30 doubles, 23 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .315 batting average.

On October 3, during Game 2 of the 2014 ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles, Martinez became the first player in Tigers history to homer in each of his first two career postseason games, and the 16th player in Major League history.[10] Martinez finished the postseason with one double, two home runs, and five RBIs in three games.

On January 16, 2015, Martinez and the Tigers avoided arbitration when the two parties agreed on a one-year, $3 million contract for the 2015 season.[11]

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "J.D. Martinez Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ↑ Powling, Joshua (July 30, 2011). "J.D. Martinez On His Way To Houston". SB Nation. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Hometown kid Martinez hits first ever Marlins Park homer". http://www.sun-sentinel.com''.
  4. ↑ Adams, Steve (November 20, 2013). "Astros Claim Ryan Jackson, Outright J.D. Martinez". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  5. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (March 22, 2014). "Astros release struggling outfielder Martinez". MLB.com. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Tigers sign Martinez to Minors deal, add outfield depth". MLB.com. March 24, 2014.
  7. ↑ Putkonen to DL as Tigers call up J.D. Martinez MLB.com, April 21, 2014
  8. ↑ J.D. Martinez of the Detroit Tigers named the American League Player of the Week MLB.com, June 23, 2014
  9. ↑ "J.D. Martinez named Tigers player of the month". WXYZ.com. July 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ Berry, Adam (October 3, 2014). "Tigers go back-to-back in second straight game". MLB.com.
  11. ↑ Henning, Lynn (January 16, 2015). "Tigers avoid arbitration with Price, Simon, J.D. Martinez". detroitnews.com. Retrieved January 19, 2015.

External links

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