Track Record:

The A’s gave Martinez a $70,000 signing bonus after selecting him in the 17th round of the 2016 draft out of Arizona State. He peaked at Double-A in the A’s organization before the Astros selected him in the minor league phase of the 2020 Rule 5 draft. Martinez had a 2.81 ERA in 36 relief appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land before the Astros summoned him for his major league debut in September. He appeared in three games and survived the offseason 40-man churn.

Scouting Report: Martinez has morphed into a long reliever after beginning his career as a starter. He throws five pitches, but his most recent success came after the Astros’ player development staff overhauled his slider. Martinez now throws a horizontal, sweeping slider as opposed to the two-plane offering he had with Oakland. Martinez’s four-seam fastball sits in the low 90s and he mixes in a cutter, sinker and a changeup to remain unpredictable. His control is above average and hitters struggle to square him up.

The Future: Martinez is already 27, but he has a spot on the 40-man roster and will figure into the Astros bullpen. He should bounce between Triple-A Sugar Land and the majors during the 2022 season.