Angel Martínez #1

Angel Kevin Martínez (Mejia)....Son of former MLB catcher Sandy Martínez, who appeared in 218 Major League games from 1995-2004 with six ML teams, mainly Toronto from 1995-97…Spent 2004 season in Triple-A Buffalo and appeared in one game with the Indians in June 2004 before being traded to Terry Francona’s Red Sox in September…Overall played 17 professional seasons, 1991-2007... Favorite players growing up were José Reyes and Ronald Acuña Jr...Played basketball at the point guard position growing up.

2024

Split the season between Triple-A Columbus and Cleveland, making three separate stints at the Major League level…Began the season on the 10-day injured list due to a right foot contusion that he suffered during Spring Training after fouling a ball off his foot…Played three games for Columbus on a rehab assignment from April 9-13 before being transferred to the 60-day injured list due to a broken left hamate bone (hand, required surgery)...After another rehab stint, Martínez returned to Columbus’ lineup on May 31...Hit .370 (20-for-54) with three HR, 11 RBI and a 1.081 OPS over 14 games before being promoted to Cleveland on June 21...Made his Major League debut on June 22 and recorded his first Major League hit on June 23 vs. Toronto off Yusei Kikuchi...Martínez was recalled on July 4 and got off to a hot start, reaching base multiple times in six straight games, matching Riggs Stephenson (1921) for the Cleveland franchise record by reaching multiple times in six of his first seven MLB games…Also drew eight walks in his first six MLB games, joining Steven Kwan (eight BB in 2022) as the only two Clevelanders to draw eight or more walks in their first six career games…He ultimately reached base 17 times in his first eight games, tied for third-most by a Clevelander in their first eight MLB games...Hit his first Major League home run on July 9 at Detroit (off Kenta Maeda)…At 22.164 years old, he became the youngest Cleveland hitter to hit a home run since Francisco Lindor (22 years, 150 days) on April 12, 2016...Utilized primarily as an outfielder for Cleveland this season, making 21 appearances (18 starts) in center field, 14 appearances (13 starts) in left field and eight appearances in right field (two starts)…Also made three starts at third base, one start at second base and one at DH...Put together a solid season while at Triple-A Columbus, hitting .274 (59-for-215) with 16 doubles, seven home runs, 27 RBI and an .812 OPS…Enjoyed back-to-back four-hit performances from June 16-18…Closed out his Triple-A campaign with a 16-game on-base streak from Aug. 24-Sept. 13, owning a .382 (22-for-67) batting average with an .875 OPS over that stretch…Was recalled on Sept. 14 and spent the remainder of the season with the Major League club...Was on the ALDS roster, appearing in one game (was not on ALCS roster).

2023

Split the season between Akron and Columbus...At 21 he was five years younger than the average Triple-A player...His combined 79 RBI were third-most in the Guardians PD system, he was second in hits (132) and third in total bases(207)...Named an org. All-Star by MLB.com...Did not face a pitcher younger than him for the second straight year...Promoted to Columbus a pair of times in August after spending the first four months of the season in Akron...At the time of his first promotion, he was T5th in the Eastern League in RBI (56) and hits (90)...Enjoyed a 12-game hit streak in May for Akron and a 15-game on-base streak in July...Combined on the year he made 56 starts at second base, 38 at third and 32 at SS (10 at DH), hit .303 (43-for-142) off LHP with an OPS of .890 and .303 with RISP...Appeared in five games for Estrellas in the LIDOM (DR) after the season.

2022

Split the season between High-A Lake County and AA Akron, batting a combined .278 (101-for-363) with 23 2B, four 3B, 13 HR, 44 RBI and 12 SB in 101 games (.378/.471/.849)…Ranked second in the system in qualified batting average, fourth in OPS and fifth in on-base pct...Spent most of year at Lake County before being promoted to Akron on 8/20...Did not face a pitcher younger than him all season and was the 10th-youngest player to appear in the EL in 2022...Hit in 13 straight games, Jul. 4-Aug. 6, and reached in 27 straight games, June 26-Aug. 18, around a brief stint on the IL (left shoulder strain, DNP 7/13-26)…Overall on the year he appeared in 54 games at SS, 23 games at 2B and four games at third base...On year hit .299 (32-107) off LHP (11 XBH)…Entered 2022 ranked as the #10 prospect in Cleveland system....After the season batted .260 (19-for-73) with two HR and 14 RBI in 21 games in the Arizona League (Peoria).

2021

One of just nine teenagers playing every day in the Low-A East in 2021...Spent year at Single-A Lynch-burg at just 19 years of age, 2.3 years below the league average...Was T-fourth in the Low-A East in triples (six).