Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Mid | MIN | SS/OF | 1 | 50 |
| 2021 | TOR | SS/OF | 2 | 55 |
Grades Update: Mar 2021
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 60 | 70 | 50 | 55 | 50 | 50 |
Mar 2021 Report
Evaluator: Mike Kinsela
Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 1
RuleV: 2023
Physical Description: Athletic, compact build with good strength and some explosive twitch to his build. Looks like the part of a middle-of-diamond athlete. Plus body.
Hit: Martin's calling card is his hit tool, as he combines plus bat speed with plus feel for the barrel and elite hands to form both an excellent mechanical swing and excellent results. The swing is compact and short, with excellent barrel lag and feel for using the whole ballpark with authority. Notably, he also walked more than he struck out while playing in the SEC at Vanderbilt, and his on-base skills are factored into this grade. Grade: 70
Power: Martin's swing is more geared for flatter-launch, sprayed line drives but he has the bat speed/strength combination to produce above-average raw power, particularly to the pull side. Most of Martin's power will come from the prodigious amount of extra base hits he is projected to accumulate, but there's still reason to believe he can drive 15-20 balls out of the yard on an annual basis. Grade: 50
Field: Martin is a curious case in that he's a player without a true defensive home but one who can handle premium spots at a solid level. He could reasonably play 2B, SS, 3B, LF, or CF realistically, and the issue with his positioning is the arm tool really. The Jays have sent him out at SS in spring training, most scouts seemed split between CF and 3B as an amateur, but it's most likely that he's given every chance to play on the dirt. Grade: 50
Arm: Martin's troublesome tool, if that phrase exists, is the arm. His raw arm strength is solid average and totally fine, but the consistency of his throwing mechanics led to some bouts of wildness, which made scouts question his utility on the infield. We didn't get to see much in 2020 to make final determinations, but all signs point to Martin's arm being a totally fine tool that'll allow him to play the left side. Grade: 50
Run: Martin can turn in plus times down the line and his speed is felt at a plus level once on the basepaths as well, as he's a threat to steal 15-20 bases annually and is a very good, instinctive base runner. The raw speed grade is above-average and not plus, but don't be surprised to see Martin with plus impact on the game as a result of his speed. Grade: 55
Overall: Martin was a 1:1 candidate prior to the pandemic and ended up in the top 3 of every relevant public draft board out there, with many maintaining him at 1 over Spencer Torkelson. A potentially double-plus hitter with good impact to the bat, quality on-base/base running skills with good power and the potential to be a true Swiss Army Knife defender, Martin's upside is that of a perennial All Star, but he's most likely a strongly above-average regular who posts 3-4 WAR per season.
OFP: 50
Role: 60 - Above-Average Regular; Occasional All-Star
Risk: Moderate
