The Blue Jays have reached an agreement with the first round selection Austin Martinreports Hazel Mae of Sportsnet (Twitter link). The former Vanderbilt shortstop / third baseman will need to pass a physical examination before his deal with the club becomes official. The details of the bonds are not yet known, but position n. Martin’s overall draft No. 5 is valued at $ 6.18MM.
Considered by some to be the best complete player in this year’s draft, Martin was a little later than generally expected after the Os closed a deal with No. 2 pick Keston Hjerstad, thus saving some space. in the pool for more difficult signs further down the line. The Marlins and Royals opted for pitchers with the next two picks, suddenly leaving a player who was sometimes in the conversation at No. 1 overall for the Jays to take No. 5.
Martin doesn’t have the massive power that the best team Spencer Torkelson He owns, but is a left-field player or center field option, giving him more defensive value. And it’s still a high-end offensive prospect in its own right. MLB.com gives Martin a powerful 65-degree hitting tool and 50-degree power (solid average), while Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs gives him a tool of 60 future hits and 55 power.
Martin’s natural hitting ability was put on display for all to see throughout his NCAA career, as he posted video game numbers dating back to his first season. Altogether, his Commodores career comes to an end with a ridiculous .376 / .479 / .521 batting line. He also struck out less than 10 percent of his plate appearances between his second and second seasons.
Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Martin the best overall prospect in this year’s draft “because of his combination of performance, athleticism, and overall speed.” Baseball America, MLB.com, and ESPN ranked him only behind Torkelson, while FanGraphs ranked him third behind Torkelson and eventually the No. 4 pick. Asa Lacy (a southpaw from Texas A&M).
There is some debate about Martin’s final position, but it is not for lack of defensive aptitude. Rather, most scouts seem to think he could handle any third base, second base, or center field, with the shortstop not entirely out of the question. Toronto hopes to have Bo Bichette installed there for years to come, of course, so perhaps one of the other places in the field is more likely. In any case, the consensus about Martin is that he possesses elite batting skills with still-developing power, speed, rough athletics and a wide range of potential defensive homes. For a Jays club that saw Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and They dig Biggio they all graduated from the big leagues last year, with Nate Pearson Sure to follow in 2020, Martin represents another potential centerpiece to return the club to fame in the ever competitive AL East.
