DALLAS — Julio Pablo Martinez is among the newest Rangers farmhands on this list, as he signed out of Cuba in March of this year, but he has all the credentials to be #4 on our list.
Name: Julio Pablo Martinez
Age: 22
Height/Weight: 5’11” 180 lbs
Position(s): OF
Bats/Throws: Left/Left
How he got here: International free agent signing on March 18, 2018 for a signing bonus of $2.8 Million.
The 22-year-old had staggering numbers in the Cuban professional ranks before inking a deal on March 18 with a healthy signing bonus of $2.8 million after Texas lost out on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes.
Considered the top Cuban prospect at the time of his signing, the fast outfielder has the defensive skill set to play center field, or any other outfield position mainly owing to his speed. His glove skills and throwing are good enough to help him stick in center but the trick will be finding a natural fit in the lineup.
With the physical profile of a leadoff man, Martinez will have to work on his patience at the plate for that to be a realistic possibility. The left handed hitting Martinez has 51 strikeouts vs only 34 walks in 167 at-bats thus far in his time at short season Spokane. Unexpectedly, he’s profiling as more of a power hitter so far.
While his power is considered to be slightly above average (7 HR in 47 games this year so far), at this point he certainly doesn't project to be the next Joey Gallo, so the strikeouts are going to be an issue if they keep happening at this rate.
Martinez's on base percentage since moving to short season Spokane has been a paltry .239 in 40 games. A number 100 points higher would be considered acceptable for someone batting leadoff. As this is his first action stateside, does seem more than likely that he’ll figure it out in Spokane before moving on to full season action.
Martinez thoroughly dominated the lesser competition in the Dominican Summer league during his short stint there and while the Cuban League isn’t considered to be top flight competition, he played against many players with MLB futures or pasts during his tenure in his home country, and emerged with sterling numbers from that league as well.
Assuming he has a clean finish to 2018, JPM seems likely to be opening the 2019 season in one of the full season A-ball teams in North Carolina. He will continue to be a tad old for his level for the next couple of seasons unless he starts skyrocketing up the system.
An optimistic progression would see Martinez, who is relatively old for his level at Spokane this year, making quick work of Low A (Hickory) and High A (Down East) and potentially rise as high as Frisco during the 2019 season.
However, to make such a swift journey through the system, Martinez has some big adjustments to make in just a single calendar year for a player whose completely new to the country and organization.
It would be best for Rangers fans to be cautiously optimistic and forget the fact that he’s old for his level right now. The Rangers have a logical window where they’ll need people like JPM and fellow top outfield prospect Leody Taveras to be contributing in the new Air Conditioned Palace in Arlington so let Julio Pablo Martinez simmer a while and see how he looks in a year.
What he does well: Good foot speed and an above average arm will help JPM stick in center field if Leody Taveras doesn't get there first. He has the combination of speed and power to help him hit near the top of the lineup but he’ll have to work on either his patience or his contact skills, as his strikeout numbers, and therefore his on base percentage, are too high for anything but the 8 or 9 hole right now.
Up Next: No. 3 - Hans Crouse, RHP
Click below for more of our Top 15 Prospect List:
Is Julio Pablo Martinez the center fielder of the future for the Rangers or does that position still belong to Leody Taveras? Make your call to Chris on Twitter @realchrisroland.
