J.P. Martinez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #27 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Martinez was one of the best players his age in Cuba before he left the country and signed with the Rangers for $2.8 million in March 2018. After making his debut that year in short-season Spokane, Martinez jumped to high Class A Down East in 2019 and struggled there at first, batting .191/.263/.365 in the first half, but he rebounded to hit .293/.362/.467 in the second half.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Martinez has a smaller frame but good tools, with strong wrists that help him whip the barrel through the zone and produce slightly above-average raw power. His swing can get long and he struggled to track breaking pitches in the first half, leading to a 32 percent strikeout rate in Down East, but he did a better job recognizing pitches in the second half. Martinez has plus speed to handle center field with average defense and an average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Martinez has a promising power/speed combo, but now that he's had a full season in pro ball he has to to shorten his swing and make more contact. Double-A Frisco is up next.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Martinez excelled in Cuba's junior national leagues as a teenager, then progressed to Cuba's top league, batting .333/.469/.498 in 264 plate appearances in his final season in Serie Nacional. After leaving Cuba, he signed with the Rangers in March 2018 for $2.8 million. The Rangers brought him along slowly to get him acclimated to a new country and professional baseball, so he spent most of 2018 at short-season Spokane, but he performed well after the season when they sent him to the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Martinez didn't play any competitive baseball for a while, so early in the season he was just getting his timing back. When he's at his best, he blends power and speed at a premium position. He has a smaller build, but his strong wrists help generate plenty of bat speed and a tick above-average raw power to knock the ball over the fence from left-center over to his pull side. He handles pitches down in the zone well, though with his bat path there is some swing-and-miss, especially in the upper half. Martinez is a plus runner with an average arm in center field. His outfield play improved as the season went on and he got back to game speed, and he projects to stick at the position as at least an average defender.
  
  The Future: Now that he's had an acclimation period, Martinez could take off in 2019. He might start 2019 at one of the Rangers' Class A levels, though the club also has to figure out where to assign fellow center fielders Leody Taveras and Bubba Thompson.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #6 prospect in 2018
  Martinez was lauded for his combination of power and speed as an amateur, and he showed both traits during his time in the NWL. He was one of four players in the league with eight or more home runs and double-digit stolen bases. Scouts saw plus speed that served Martinez well on the basepaths and would allow him to stay in center field long-term. There was some concern raised about his longer bat path to the ball, but evaluators noted he still found the barrel often and made loud contact. The Rangers worked on shoring up the finer areas of Martinez’s game—baserunning, bunting, situational instincts—but there are plenty of tools to make him intriguing. Already 22, Martinez was sent to the Arizona Fall League to get more reps.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Martinez was one of the best players his age in Cuba before he left the country and signed with the Rangers for $2.8 million in March 2018. After making his debut that year in short-season Spokane, Martinez jumped to high Class A Down East in 2019 and struggled there at first, batting .191/.263/.365 in the first half, but he rebounded to hit .293/.362/.467 in the second half.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Martinez has a smaller frame but good tools, with strong wrists that help him whip the barrel through the zone and produce slightly above-average raw power. His swing can get long and he struggled to track breaking pitches in the first half, leading to a 32 percent strikeout rate in Down East, but he did a better job recognizing pitches in the second half. Martinez has plus speed to handle center field with average defense and an average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Martinez has a promising power/speed combo, but now that he’s had a full season in pro ball he has to to shorten his swing and make more contact. Double-A Frisco is up next.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Martinez was one of the best players his age in Cuba before he left the country and signed with the Rangers for $2.8 million in March 2018. After making his debut that year in short-season Spokane, Martinez jumped to high Class A Down East in 2019 and struggled there at first, batting .191/.263/.365 in the first half, but he rebounded to hit .293/.362/.467 in the second half.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Martinez has a smaller frame but good tools, with strong wrists that help him whip the barrel through the zone and produce slightly above-average raw power. His swing can get long and he struggled to track breaking pitches in the first half, leading to a 32 percent strikeout rate in Down East, but he did a better job recognizing pitches in the second half. Martinez has plus speed to handle center field with average defense and an average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Martinez has a promising power/speed combo, but now that he's had a full season in pro ball he has to to shorten his swing and make more contact. Double-A Frisco is up next.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Signed for $2.8 million in March, Martinez is still getting his timing back after a significant layoff from competitive game action since leaving Cuba. While Martinez’s strikeout rate might always be on the higher end, he has generally hit well in games. An adept low-ball hitter, Martinez has a promising combination of power and speed in center field.