How Martínez extended his Major League stay

This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.

It had been a whirlwind 48 hours, going from Oklahoma City — the place he was taking part in with Triple-A Round Rock — to San Francisco, the place he joined the Rangers massive league membership to make his MLB debut. He drew a stroll in opposition to the Giants on Friday.

“A lot of emotions, a lot of things going on through my head,” Martínez mentioned. “Yeah, I just couldn’t sleep.”

He slept higher the subsequent evening, he mentioned.

Martínez started his MLB profession with a five-game on-base streak (three in SF, two vs. LA), together with three consecutive multihit video games after going hitless with a stroll in his debut. In 5 video games, he’s compiled a slash line of .389/.409/.444.

Initially referred to as up as a quick alternative with Travis Jankowski occurring the paternity checklist for the start of his fourth baby, Martínez has earned his means into an prolonged stick with the massive league membership after a surprising weekend in San Francisco.

“The kid’s done a nice job,” Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy mentioned. “He’s obtained loads of vitality, offers you good at-bats up there and performs a extremely good protection. He’s actually shining proper now.

“I tell you what, this kid’s got a calmness and a confidence about him. Really, he’s a ballplayer.”

Signed through the 2018 worldwide signing interval, Martínez was anticipated to maneuver rapidly by way of the system, however he by no means fairly lived as much as that potential within the higher ranges of the Minors. With Double-A Frisco in ‘21, he slashed .242/.355/.368 after which posted an almost an identical line in ‘22 between Frisco and Round Rock, slashing .243/.360/.433.

Finally, in 2023, he broke onto the scene with a sizzling 12 months in Triple-A Round Rock, slashing .312/.427/.565 in 67 video games, forcing his means onto the Rangers’ radar.

“We’ve really been excited about what we have seen from J.P.,” Bochy mentioned. “We’ve heard really good things down in Round Rock about how well he was playing before he got there. But it’s been impressive, the calmness this kid has had and the confidence with the job he’s done. He can play all of the outfield, I think you can put him anywhere in the batting order. He’s that kind of bat, and he’s a versatile guy in the outfield, good baserunner. He’s a nice addition and he’s made us a better club.”

Martínez admitted that it’s been a protracted journey for him. From extremely touted worldwide prospect to struggling within the Minors, he mentioned typically he forgot to like the sport and play with ardour. The strain that got here with dwelling as much as his billing took away from his pleasure of the sport.

He credited Rangers psychological abilities coaches Hannah Huesman and David Franco for serving to him rediscover the enjoyable in baseball, even when some video games received’t go his means.

“I always knew that I could play really well,” he mentioned. “But sometimes I didn’t have the games I expected to have and that’s baseball. … But I tried to push myself harder because I wanted to get here in the big leagues. The people on his staff talked to me and just kind of told me ‘Hey, you need to forget about those bad games and continue to focus on the positives and do the things that you’re doing regularly.’ Just to have fun with the game, and I think it’s helped me a lot.”

It’s proven together with his play on the sphere, and has translated to his brief time with the massive league membership. He’s drawn rave opinions from coaches for his potential to rise to the event and affect the sport in all sides.

Martínez offering high quality at-bats makes an already deep Rangers lineup even deeper. As a flexible outfielder with the power to play all three positions, he can begin at any time, or present velocity and athleticism off the bench as a late-game alternative.

“If he’s not playing, he’s a weapon off the bench,” Bochy mentioned. “He’s a good bunter, he can steal a base. He can give you a good at-bat up there when he starts. He just looks so comfortable. You just love the confidence in him. He’s a guy who’s going to really help us, I think. That’s how much I think of him in the short look I’ve gotten so far.”