Austin Martin
Austin Martin (born Christopher Austin Martin; March 23, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder and infielder for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB).[1][2] Standing at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) and weighing 185 pounds (84 kg), he bats and throws right-handed, and has versatility across positions including center field, second base, shortstop, and left field.[1][3] Martin attended Vanderbilt University, where he played college baseball for the Commodores and earned recognition as a standout prospect.[1] He was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft.[2] Shortly after signing, Martin was traded to the Minnesota Twins in July 2021 as part of a deal involving reliever José Berríos.[2] In the minors, he progressed through the Twins' system, posting a .270 batting average with 14 stolen bases in Double-A in 2021, a .263 average with 16 stolen bases in Triple-A in 2023, and a .305 average in Triple-A in 2024.[2] Martin made his MLB debut with the Twins on March 30, 2024, appearing in 93 games that season with a .253 batting average, seven stolen bases, and one home run.[2] In the 2025 season, he appeared in 50 games, batting .282 with one home run, seven RBIs, and 11 stolen bases.[3][1] Over his brief MLB career spanning 2024 and 2025, Martin has maintained a .265 batting average, two home runs, 23 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases in 389 at-bats, showcasing his speed and contact skills as a utility player.[1]Early life and amateur career
Early life and high school
Austin Martin was born on March 23, 1999, in DeLand, Florida, and grew up in Jacksonville.[1] His parents, Christopher and Daisy Martin, married young at ages 19 and 20, respectively, while Christopher pursued studies in respiratory therapy and worked night shifts, and Daisy attended nursing school full-time.[4] The couple later divorced, and Martin's family expanded to include seven siblings, including stepsiblings. Martin is the second-oldest.[4] Martin has credited his parents' work ethic and sacrifices for instilling in him a strong sense of responsibility and competitiveness from an early age.[4] Martin's early exposure to baseball began at age four, when he was removed from a T-ball team for being too advanced, prompting him to join older travel squads.[4] By age seven, on a 9-and-under travel team, he demonstrated leadership by encouraging a struggling teammate rather than seeking personal glory, a trait that foreshadowed his team-oriented approach.[4] In 2014, as a freshman, he earned a spot on the USA Baseball 15U National Team, competing internationally and gaining early national recognition.[5] Martin transferred to Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville as a sophomore in 2014 and played varsity baseball for the Conquerors for three seasons.[6] During his sophomore year (2014–15), he batted .341 with 7 RBIs in 30 games, contributing significantly to the team's 2015 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A state championship win, including a 6-4 victory over Fort Myers Bishop Verot in the final.[7][6] As a junior in 2016, he hit .368 with three home runs and 21 RBIs.[6] His senior season in 2017 was standout, posting a .424 batting average, .624 on-base percentage, .763 slugging percentage, five home runs, and 23 RBIs in 25 games, which drew scouts' attention and led to his selection by the Cleveland Indians in the 37th round of the MLB Draft—though he opted for college instead.[6]College career
Austin Martin enrolled at Vanderbilt University in 2017 and played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores from 2018 to 2020, primarily as an infielder and outfielder under head coach Tim Corbin.[8] As a freshman in 2018, he appeared in 59 games, batting .338 with a .452 on-base percentage, one home run, 19 RBIs, and a team-leading 22 stolen bases, earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors on April 16 and selection to the NCAA Clemson Regional All-Tournament Team.[8] That season, Martin was named a Freshman All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), and Perfect Game, highlighting his immediate impact as a versatile defender who started at second base and shortstop.[8] In his sophomore year of 2019, Martin transitioned to third base and leadoff hitter, posting a .392 batting average, .486 on-base percentage, 10 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a program-record 87 runs scored while tying for second in Vanderbilt history with 105 hits.[8] He led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in batting average, on-base percentage, and runs, securing All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team honors, along with Baseball America and D1Baseball First-Team All-American selections.[8] Martin was also named SEC Player of the Week on February 18 and NCBWA National Hitter of the Week, and he advanced to semifinalist status for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy; his contributions helped Vanderbilt win the 2019 Men's College World Series national championship.[8][4] Martin's junior season in 2020 was abbreviated to 16 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he hit .377 with a .507 on-base percentage, three home runs, and 11 RBIs while starting in center field.[8] Entering the year, he was tabbed as SEC Preseason Player of the Year by D1Baseball and earned preseason First-Team All-American honors from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, and Perfect Game, ranking as the No. 2 overall prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft by Baseball America.[8] Over his three seasons, Martin's positional flexibility—spanning second base, third base, shortstop, center field, and left field—underscored his value, with career totals including a .362 batting average, 14 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 43 stolen bases across 140 games.[2]Professional career
Draft and minor league beginnings
Martin was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft out of Vanderbilt University.[1] He signed with the Blue Jays for a $7,000,825 bonus, above the slot value of $6,180,700.[9] Due to the cancellation of the minor league season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin did not play professionally in 2020, instead participating in instructional league games and fall ball to begin his development.[10] Martin's professional debut came in 2021 at the Double-A level with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Toronto's Eastern League affiliate, where he posted a .281 batting average with two home runs and nine stolen bases over 56 games before the trade deadline.[2] On July 30, 2021, the Blue Jays traded Martin, along with pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson, to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for starting pitcher José Berríos.[11] Following the trade, he continued at Double-A with the Wichita Wind Surge, Minnesota's Texas League team, batting .254 with three home runs and five stolen bases in 37 games to close out the season.[10] In 2022, Martin returned to Wichita for a full season at Double-A, where he hit .241 with two home runs and a league-leading 35 stolen bases in 92 games (90 at Double-A), showcasing his speed while adjusting to a more consistent role in the Twins' system.[2] He also appeared in two games with the rookie-level FCL Twins and played in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs, refining his versatile skill set across infield and outfield positions.[10] Martin's progression accelerated in 2023 when he earned a promotion to Triple-A with the St. Paul Saints, Minnesota's International League affiliate, batting .245 with four home runs in 39 games.[2] He also had an 18-game stint at High-A Cedar Rapids (.333 average, two home runs) and brief appearances at Low-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and rookie ball for at-bats maintenance, but his Triple-A performance highlighted his readiness for higher competition, blending contact hitting with emerging power.[10] By early 2024, Martin remained with St. Paul, hitting .305 in 28 games before his major league call-up in late March.[10]Toronto Blue Jays organization
Martin was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft out of Vanderbilt University, where he was regarded as one of the top hitters in his draft class. The Blue Jays signed him to a $7,000,825 bonus, above the slot value, and initially listed him as a shortstop, though his versatility across the infield and outfield was noted early.[1] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 minor league season was canceled, limiting Martin to instructional league play with the Blue Jays organization, where he focused on adapting to professional routines without official games.[10] Entering 2021 as a top prospect—ranked as high as No. 19 overall by Baseball America and No. 22 by Baseball Prospectus—Martin began the season at Double-A with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Blue Jays' Eastern League affiliate.[12] In 56 games before the July 30 trade deadline, he batted .281 with a .424 on-base percentage, two home runs, and 16 RBI, showcasing his plate discipline with 37 walks against 53 strikeouts while stealing nine bases.[2] His performance earned him a selection to the 2021 MLB All-Star Futures Game, highlighting his potential as a high-contact, switch-hitting utility player.[13] On July 30, 2021, the Blue Jays traded Martin, along with pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson, to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for starting pitcher José Berríos, ending his brief tenure in the organization after just one partial minor league season.[11] During his time with Toronto, Martin was viewed as a cornerstone of their farm system, praised for his advanced approach at the plate and defensive flexibility, though his power development remained a focus area in scouting reports.Minnesota Twins organization
On July 30, 2021, Austin Martin was acquired by the Minnesota Twins from the Toronto Blue Jays, along with pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson, in exchange for starting pitcher José Berríos. Following the trade, Martin was assigned to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge of the Texas League, where he appeared in 37 games, batting .254 with a .779 OPS, three home runs, and 19 RBIs, demonstrating solid contact skills early in his Twins tenure.[11][2] In 2022, Martin returned to Wichita for an extended stint, playing 90 games and posting a .241 average with a .682 OPS, two home runs, and 32 RBIs, while showing improved plate discipline with a 12.2% walk rate. He also made brief appearances in two games for the Rookie-level FCL Twins, hitting .250. His performance highlighted his versatility across shortstop and center field, though power remained limited. Throughout the season, Martin ranked as the Twins' No. 6 prospect by Baseball America, praised for his elite contact ability and low strikeout rate of 16.9%.[2][14] Martin's 2023 campaign involved shuttling between levels to refine his skills, beginning with 39 games at Triple-A St. Paul Saints (.245 average, .767 OPS, four home runs, 17 RBIs) before demotions to High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels (18 games, .333 average, 1.048 OPS, two home runs) and the FCL Twins (three games). Overall, he played 67 minor-league games with a .260 average and .779 OPS, seven home runs, and 30 RBIs, emphasizing his adaptability at second base, shortstop, and outfield positions. MLB Pipeline noted his impressive plate discipline, with a 14.5% walk rate, positioning him as a potential utility contributor. He ended the year as the Twins' No. 10 prospect.[2] By 2024, Martin opened the season at St. Paul, excelling in 28 games with a .305 average, .848 OPS, and 10 RBIs, which underscored his readiness for the majors through consistent hitting and a .385 on-base percentage. His minor-league progression with the Twins reflected a focus on defensive versatility and on-base skills, transitioning from a top-100 prospect upon arrival to a polished organizational depth piece by the time of his promotion. In 2025, following an early-season option to Triple-A, he played 32 games at St. Paul (.310 average, .810 OPS) and three in the FCL Twins, maintaining his contact-oriented approach with minimal strikeouts.[2][10]| Year | Level(s) | Team(s) | G | AVG | OPS | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | AA | Wichita | 37 | .254 | .779 | 3 | 19 |
| 2022 | AA/Rk | Wichita/FCL Twins | 92 | .241 | .680 | 2 | 35 |
| 2023 | AAA/A+/Rk | St. Paul/Cedar Rapids/FCL Twins | 67 | .260 | .779 | 7 | 30 |
| 2024 | AAA | St. Paul | 28 | .305 | .848 | 1 | 10 |
| 2025 | AAA/Rk | St. Paul/FCL Twins | 35 | .306 | .799 | 1 | 16 |