Jose Martinez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #17 prospect in 2008
  Martinez is at the forefront of the Cardinals' attempt to strengthen their presence in Latin America. They have a new facility in the Dominican Republic, and a campus is coming in Venezuela, but their first prospect is already here. A favorite of his managers, Martinez recovered from a slow start in high Class A to earn a promotion and establish himself as a cornerstone of a Texas League contender. Needed for his glove at the higher level, he also found his offensive groove in Double-A. The contact hitter turned in a .300 average with a surprising 10 homers in 66 games, and he continued to play well this winter in Venezuela. He doesn't have the speed to steal bases, so providing some pop makes him valuable. He has no trouble putting the bat on the ball but needs to work deeper counts and draw more walks. Managers praise his situational hitting and reliability in the field. Martinez doesn't have the ideal range to play shortstop at the higher levels, but his hands, athleticism and instincts are good enough to compensate. He's versatile enough to play all over the infield. At one point he projected as a utility infielder, but if Martinez continues to progress offensively he could become a starting second baseman in the majors. He figures to open 2008 as a shortstop in Triple-A.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #28 prospect in 2006
  Martinez is another example of the Cardinals' renewed push into Latin America. They hope to open an academy in Venezuela in 2006, and in the meantime they signed Martinez in December 2004 and sent him straight to the United States, where he had a terrific debut in the Appalachian League. Martinez is one of the best athletes in the organization, with the innate ability to make contact and the bat speed to hit with a little pop. He also showed surprising plate discipline, walking more than he struck out in his pro debut. Martinez has the tools to play solid defense at either middle-infield spot, and while he probably has enough arm for shortstop, his range and actions suggest he'd be better at second base. He has good speed and should learn to steal more bases as he advances. Martinez will have to get stronger and needs polish in every phase, but he was one of the organization's most pleasant surprises in 2005. He'll compete for a job in the Quad Cities infield in spring training.