Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | LAD | RHP | 24 | 40 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | CH | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 60 | 55/50 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Geoff Pontes
Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 194 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: 2021
Physical Description: Average physical build for a pitcher, broad shouldered, and barrel chested. Noticeable strength in glutes, and lower half. Body will require maintenance as he's a little thick in the middle.
Delivery & Mechanics: Sped up operation, but stays smooth throughout motion. Side step to leg lift, accompanied by a twist that closes off his front side to the batter and hides the ball well before quickly driving toward the plate. Low three quarters arm action and on balance finish over his front leg.
Fastball: Sits 91-94 mph during starts bumping 95-96 mph at peak. Generic fastball movement not a lot of rise, run, sink or cut. What Martinez lacks in action he makes up for with feel possessing some of the best fastball command in the organization. He's particularly adept at landing his heat glove side, working inside effectively to left handers and expanding the zone off the plate to righties. This sets up his plus changeup on the other side of the plate. Good starter velocity, generic movement, an average release and advanced feel give Martinez an average offering that's effective in setting up his off-speed. Grade: 50
Curveball: Fringe average secondary, inconsistent shape but when he gets on top of it he will flash two-plane break and generate swings and misses landed mostly armside. Average velocity at 78-82 mph, will get slurvy at times showing less dramatic vertical drop than his best breakers. Will come and go but Martinez will use it as his go-to secondary when it's on. Fringe average pitch due to inconsistency but in a year's time a bump to average is a strong possibility. Grade: 45
Changeup: Arguably the best changeup in the system. Martinez shows advanced feel for the pitch and a willingness to throw it in any count against any handedness. Sits 83-87 mph giving him not the greatest separation between his fastball but typically in the 7-8 mph range. It works however due to a pair of factors, first his arm speed and ability to sell the pitch consistently and second it's nasty late horizontal break, running off the plate to lefties on the outside and stealing strikes to righties off the plate. It generates more swings and misses than any pitch in his arsenal and his ability to use it in any count keeps hitters guessing. Grade: 60
Control and Command: Excellent strike thrower that's limited walks at all of his stops thus far in his professional career. His fastball plays up due to his ability to move the pitch around the zone and locate on the edges. He shows advanced feel for his changeup, and improving feel for his curveball. In fact his inconsistency with his curveball is the one thing keeping his control from a 60 grade. Over 215.1 IP as a professional Martinez has walked just 48 batters (5.5 BB%). Control: 55 | Command: 50
Overall: A fastball + changeup profile with above average velocity at peak and a very usable breaking ball. His advanced feel for his stuff gives him a shot to stick as a starter as well as his ability to sequence with his four-pitch mix. The biggest question for me is can he add velocity or improve his fastball movement without sacrificing his command for that pitch. If he can do that he has a chance to bump into a role 50 profile. For now he's one of the better under the radar arms in the system with an up and down starter floor and backend ceiling.
OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter - Low Leverage Relief
Risk: Moderate
