Oakland Athletics Draft SS Richie Martin with 20th Overall Pick
The quietest Draft Day in sports is upon us, as the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft has arrived quickly. In the first round of the draft, the Oakland Athletics picked 20th overall. With that slot, they selected Richie Martin, a shortstop from the University of Florida, making Martin the sixth shortstop taken in the first 20 picks of the draft.
This isn’t the first time Martin has been drafted, as in 2012, the Seattle Mariners took him in the 38th round. Martin chose to play for the Florida Gators rather than going to the pros, and three years later, that move has paid off, as Martin is a first-round draft pick.
MLB.com Draft expert Jim Callis predicted the Athletics would pick Martin at 20 in the final draft update done just before the draft. Jonathan Mayo had Martin going 27th to the Colorado Rockies. Overall, MLB.com had Martin rated as the 34th-best prospect available in the draft.
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In his freshman year at Florida, the six foot tall, 185-pound right-handed hitter enjoyed a nice season, hitting an even .300. He struggled in his sophomore year, dropping his average to .266 with one home run and 27 RBI, but showed good durability by starting all 63 games at shortstop. While the average slipped, he did post an impressive .354 on-base percentage, stole 18 bases, and scored 49 runs.
He played in the Cape Cod League last summer, and batted a very impressive .364, second in the circuit. In 2015, his junior year, he has bounced back with a solid .292 average, and career-highs with five home runs, four triples, and 33 RBI. He’s also stolen 20 bases and scored 59 runs to complement a very nice .404 on-base percentage.
Looking at Martin, he looks like a leadoff hitter, while a long and lanky frame that looks like it was built for speed. His tools project him the same way as well. He isn’t a power hitter, but does hit a lot of line drives from gap to gap. That could eventually translate to a Martin becoming a legitimate extra-base threat. Couple that with his ability to get on-base and his great speed, and it’s easy to see Martin working at the top of the batting order.
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Martin’s best asset could be his defensive ability. He seems to have the tools to remain at shortstop through his pro career, which is not all that common for players drafted as shortstops. He has very good range and soft hands, and possesses a shortstop’s arm.
Martin’s manager with the Cape Cod League, Harvey Shapiro, said Martin covers more ground than Arizona Diamondbacks’ defensive stalwart at shortstop, Nick Ahmed, who also played under Shapiro in the Cape Cod League.
With Billy Beane‘s penchant for wheeling and dealing, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Martin never sees the field for the Athletics. Oakland has traded three of their last five first round picks with Sonny Gray (2011) and Matt Chapman (2014) being the lone exceptions.
Martin has the ability to be a very good player down the road for the Athletics. He’s got a lot of potential, but whether he is able to live up to that potential with the Athletics remains to be seen.