Austin Martin is Finishing a Redeeming September

Hitting was never supposed to be a problem for Austin Martin. He was widely considered the top college bat in the 2020 MLB Draft after finishing a tremendous three years at Vanderbilt. In three seasons, he hit .368/.474/.532 (1.007) with 43 steals and more walks (85) than strikeouts (82). During his sophomore season, he posted a 1.091 OPS with 33 extra-base hits in 65 games as he helped Vanderbilt win the 2019 College World Series. 

Toronto had to be excited when Martin fell to them with the fifth overall pick in 2020, which will be an intriguing draft to examine in future years. The pandemic wiped out college and high school seasons, so it became challenging to scout players without any games to watch. Martin received the draft’s second-highest signing bonus, but his professional debut had to wait until 2021. 

All three national prospect rankings put Martin in their top-25 prospects entering the 2021 season. The Blue Jays were aggressive with him by sending him directly to Double-A. In his first 56 games, he hit .281/.424/.383 (.807) with 14 extra-base hits and a 53-to-37 strikeout to walk ratio. Minnesota acquired him at the trade deadline as part of the Jose Berrios deal. His OPS dropped to .779, but he collected 11 extra-base hits in 37 games. His prospect stock dropped a little, but he’d still be considered one of baseball’s top-55 prospects entering the 2022 campaign. 

Minnesota sent Martin back to Double-A for the 2022 season, hoping his performance would warrant a move up the organizational ladder. For various reasons, Martin’s performance has struggled in 2022, with a wrist injury weakening his power. His OPS dropped from .796 in 2021 to .685 in 92 games this season. He suffered a wrist injury while diving for a ball at the beginning of July, but he has returned strongly to end the season. 

In September, Martin compiled his best numbers of the season as he hit .277/.392/.431 (.823). His OPS was over 100 points higher than any other month in the season, and two of his three home runs came this month. Martin has been over a year younger than the competition at his level, and over 78% of his at-bats have come against older pitchers. After a bleak season, it helps to end the season on a positive note. 

Martin will get the opportunity to build off his strong September by representing the Twins in the Arizona Fall League. He will be one of the team’s top prospects participating in the AFL this season, and it can be an important opportunity for players closing in on the big leagues. Last season, Matt Wallner headed to the AFL and used it as a springboard for a tremendous 2022 season. Wallner was recently named the Twins Daily Minor League Player of the Year. 

Next season, Martin will begin the season as a 24-year-old with over 180 games played at the Double-A level. He is no longer considered a top-100 prospect, and many have dropped him out of the top-10 prospects in the Twins organization. He has plenty to prove in 2023, and the Twins hope this September is the beginning of him getting back on track. 

What do you think Martin can prove in the AFL? Is this September a positive sign for the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.