<img alt="Oakland Athletics v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/52JuL_AUKtmJyMCIYbZC5Kzt3uo=/0x0:7621x5081/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73733793/2155189360.0.jpg">
Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
The 2023 World Series champion (yeah, for real) had a very minimal impact on the 2024 Atlanta Braves J.P. Martinez is a World Series champion and he’s got the ring to prove it, so you’ll never be able to take that away from him. Other than that, Martinez doesn’t have a lot going on at the major league level, as it appears that he’s starting to plateau a bit as a Triple-A player who occasionally gets a cup of coffee at the big league level — which is what happened for him in 2024.
How acquired
All the way back in January, the Atlanta Braves picked up J.P. Martinez in a trade with the Texas Rangers that sent minor league pitcher Tyler Owens back to Texas.
What were the expectations?
Based on his rather anemic production with the Rangers over 17 games in 2023 (.225/.250/.325 with a .246 wOBA, an even worse xwOBA, one home run and 51 wRC+), it was abundantly clear that Martinez was being brought here to compete for the fourth outfielder job, at best, as a left-handed option.
Martinez did hit well in Triple-A (133 wRC+) that year, and that may have been what intrigued the Braves. Throughout his minor league career, he had a habit of struggling in his first stint at a level and then getting acclimated and hitting well, so you can see the thought process there. Still, as a guy that was mostly noted as a one-tool (speed) prospect a half-decade ago, there was no reason to expect anything other than warm body, replacement-level performance from Martinez.
2024 results
Martinez ended up starting the season in Triple-A after getting optioned there on March 8, during Spring Training. He spent the vast majority of the season playing for Gwinnnett, which is where he remained a threat on the basepaths with 37 stolen bases on the season — this was after he stole 38 bases while playing for the Round Rock Express in 2023. However, he was unable to replicate the success he had at the plate with the Express in 2023, as his wRC+ with the Stripers in 2024 plummeted to 84 after he finished 2023 with a wRC+ of 133 at the Triple-A level.
One thing that remained consistent is that J.P. Martinez didn’t exactly make a huge impact while in the big leagues for either the Rangers in 2023 or the Braves in 2024. Martinez only made one start for the Braves and that was essentially as an injury replacement for Jarred Kelenic after he hurt himself making a catch on a fly ball. Martinez ended up finishing his big league season with seven games played, 10 plate appearances, two hits, two runs and one stolen base. He somehow managed a sub-.100 xwOBA in those ten plate appearances, which is actually kind of impressive if you think about it.
What went right?
J.P. Martinez’s first hit as an Atlanta Braves player came against Jake Irvin of the Washington Nationals and it was a double, at that. Considering how Irvin absolutely dominated Atlanta in 2024, this was a pretty decent achievement for Martinez.
If we’re talking Triple-A, then Martinez definitely had his fair share of fun moments on the basepaths, with this cool swim move being chief among them.
What went wrong?
He just couldn’t hit at a consistent enough level. Call me crazy but it’s kind of tough to stick around at any given level if you can’t consistently put the bat on the ball and into play. As I mentioned earlier, Martinez’s production at the plate fell off a cliff even at the Triple-A level and after he got his brief opportunity in the majors during the month of June, Martinez ended up mired in Triple-A for the rest of the season. The day after making that impressive swim move slide, Martinez was designated for assignment by the Braves. He cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A Gwinnett, basically ensuring that he’d be spending the rest of the season at that level.
While Billy Hamilton may be proof that you can get away with not being able to hit a lick as a big leaguer, that also comes with the caveat that you’ve got to be able to provide elite defense and/or speed. Martinez was unable to provide either, so it made plenty of sense that he was unable to really experience a long stay at the big league level.
On a meta-level, one of the most disappointing things about Martinez’ season was that the Braves gave Eddie Rosario 84 PAs in which he accumulated -0.7 fWAR. Chances are, Martinez wouldn’t have been that bad over the same span, but the Braves went with Rosario anyway. Most teams don’t have the problem of “we played a guy so bad that even an almost-certain replacement-level guy would be a huge upgrade,” but the Braves did in 2024, and Martinez still didn’t benefit, despite being a left-handed outfield option.
2025 Outlook
Martinez is currently a free agent and he’ll turn 29 years old during the 2025 season. He’s been playing pro ball since 2018, so time may be running out for Martinez to really stick around at the big league level. Assuming he latches onto an organization at some point, his ceiling appears to be making it onto a major league roster as a potential fourth outfielder. Failing that, Martinez appears to be destined to continue plying his trade in the minors as organizational depth for any given team’s outfield.
<img alt="Oakland Athletics v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/52JuL_AUKtmJyMCIYbZC5Kzt3uo=/0x0:7621x5081/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73733793/2155189360.0.jpg">
Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
The 2023 World Series champion (yeah, for real) had a very minimal impact on the 2024 Atlanta Braves J.P. Martinez is a World Series champion and he’s got the ring to prove it, so you’ll never be able to take that away from him. Other than that, Martinez doesn’t have a lot going on at the major league level, as it appears that he’s starting to plateau a bit as a Triple-A player who occasionally gets a cup of coffee at the big league level — which is what happened for him in 2024.
How acquired
All the way back in January, the Atlanta Braves picked up J.P. Martinez in a trade with the Texas Rangers that sent minor league pitcher Tyler Owens back to Texas.
What were the expectations?
Based on his rather anemic production with the Rangers over 17 games in 2023 (.225/.250/.325 with a .246 wOBA, an even worse xwOBA, one home run and 51 wRC+), it was abundantly clear that Martinez was being brought here to compete for the fourth outfielder job, at best, as a left-handed option.
Martinez did hit well in Triple-A (133 wRC+) that year, and that may have been what intrigued the Braves. Throughout his minor league career, he had a habit of struggling in his first stint at a level and then getting acclimated and hitting well, so you can see the thought process there. Still, as a guy that was mostly noted as a one-tool (speed) prospect a half-decade ago, there was no reason to expect anything other than warm body, replacement-level performance from Martinez.
2024 results
Martinez ended up starting the season in Triple-A after getting optioned there on March 8, during Spring Training. He spent the vast majority of the season playing for Gwinnnett, which is where he remained a threat on the basepaths with 37 stolen bases on the season — this was after he stole 38 bases while playing for the Round Rock Express in 2023. However, he was unable to replicate the success he had at the plate with the Express in 2023, as his wRC+ with the Stripers in 2024 plummeted to 84 after he finished 2023 with a wRC+ of 133 at the Triple-A level.
One thing that remained consistent is that J.P. Martinez didn’t exactly make a huge impact while in the big leagues for either the Rangers in 2023 or the Braves in 2024. Martinez only made one start for the Braves and that was essentially as an injury replacement for Jarred Kelenic after he hurt himself making a catch on a fly ball. Martinez ended up finishing his big league season with seven games played, 10 plate appearances, two hits, two runs and one stolen base. He somehow managed a sub-.100 xwOBA in those ten plate appearances, which is actually kind of impressive if you think about it.
What went right?
J.P. Martinez’s first hit as an Atlanta Braves player came against Jake Irvin of the Washington Nationals and it was a double, at that. Considering how Irvin absolutely dominated Atlanta in 2024, this was a pretty decent achievement for Martinez.
If we’re talking Triple-A, then Martinez definitely had his fair share of fun moments on the basepaths, with this cool swim move being chief among them.
What went wrong?
He just couldn’t hit at a consistent enough level. Call me crazy but it’s kind of tough to stick around at any given level if you can’t consistently put the bat on the ball and into play. As I mentioned earlier, Martinez’s production at the plate fell off a cliff even at the Triple-A level and after he got his brief opportunity in the majors during the month of June, Martinez ended up mired in Triple-A for the rest of the season. The day after making that impressive swim move slide, Martinez was designated for assignment by the Braves. He cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A Gwinnett, basically ensuring that he’d be spending the rest of the season at that level.
While Billy Hamilton may be proof that you can get away with not being able to hit a lick as a big leaguer, that also comes with the caveat that you’ve got to be able to provide elite defense and/or speed. Martinez was unable to provide either, so it made plenty of sense that he was unable to really experience a long stay at the big league level.
On a meta-level, one of the most disappointing things about Martinez’ season was that the Braves gave Eddie Rosario 84 PAs in which he accumulated -0.7 fWAR. Chances are, Martinez wouldn’t have been that bad over the same span, but the Braves went with Rosario anyway. Most teams don’t have the problem of “we played a guy so bad that even an almost-certain replacement-level guy would be a huge upgrade,” but the Braves did in 2024, and Martinez still didn’t benefit, despite being a left-handed outfield option.
2025 Outlook
Martinez is currently a free agent and he’ll turn 29 years old during the 2025 season. He’s been playing pro ball since 2018, so time may be running out for Martinez to really stick around at the big league level. Assuming he latches onto an organization at some point, his ceiling appears to be making it onto a major league roster as a potential fourth outfielder. Failing that, Martinez appears to be destined to continue plying his trade in the minors as organizational depth for any given team’s outfield.
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