July 8: Martin has signed his deal and will be paid a $7,000,825 bonus, tweets MLB.com’s Jim Callis. That’s roughly $800K over slot and makes Martin the second-highest-paid player in this year’s draft — trailing only top overall pick Spencer Torkelson. An official announcement from the Jays should come in the near future.
July 3: The Blue Jays have reached a deal with first-round pick Austin Martin, reports Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae (Twitter link). The former Vanderbilt shortstop/third baseman will need to pass a physical before his deal with the club becomes official. Bonus details aren’t yet known, but Martin’s No. 5 overall draft slot is valued at $6.18MM.
Considered by some to be the best all-around player in this year’s draft, Martin went a slight bit later than was generally expected after the O’s cut a deal with No. 2 pick Keston Hjerstad, thus saving some pool space for harder signs further down the line. The Marlins and Royals opted for pitchers with the next two selections, suddenly leaving a player who at times was in the conversation at No. 1 overall for the Jays to scoop up at No. 5.
Martin doesn’t have the massive power that top pick Spencer Torkelson possesses, but he’s a left-side infielder or center field option, giving him more defensive value. And he’s still a high-end offensive prospect in his own right. MLB.com gives Martin a hearty 65-grade hit tool and 50-grade (solid-average) power, while FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen gives him a 60 future hit tool and 55 power.
Martin’s natural hitting ability was on display for all to see throughout his NCAA career, as he posted video-game-esque numbers dating back to his freshman season. In all, his Commodores career comes to a close with a ridiculous .376/.479/.521 batting line. He also struck out in fewer than 10 percent of his plate appearances between his sophomore and junior seasons.
The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Martin as the best all-around prospect in this year’s draft “due to his combination of performance, athleticism and all-around quickness.” Baseball America, MLB.com and ESPN all ranked him behind Torkelson only, while FanGraphs had him third behind Torkelson and eventual No. 4 pick Asa Lacy (a lefty out of Texas A&M).
There’s some debate as to Martin’s final position, but it’s not for lack of defensive aptitude. Rather, most scouts seem to think he could handle any of third base, second base or center field, with shortstop not entirely out of the question. Toronto hopes to have Bo Bichette installed there for years to come, of course, so perhaps one of the other spots on the field is likelier. Regardless, the consensus on Martin is that he possesses elite bat-to-ball skills with still-developing power, speed, raw athleticism and a broad range of potential defensive homes. For a Jays club that saw Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio all graduate to the Majors this past year, with Nate Pearson sure to follow in 2020, Martin represents yet another potential core piece to bring the club back to prominence in the ever-competitive AL East.
Woohoo! I bet he got close to $7MM.
I’ll say 6.75mm
Finally! LFG!
I know I’m a nerd when I see “LFG” and always think “Looking For Group.” Lol
If Martin is his own agent and signs for slot he gets 100% of contract.
He’ll get over slot but will need to give Boras the 5% or whatever. It’s still more with Boras but everyone forgets the agent fee.
Thank god!!
this guy is going to be a beast in a few years. if not a great starter he could be Brock Holt on steriods. (no assumption of actual steroid use, just an expression)
You never know about the jump from minors to majors, I’m sure the Jays are counting on this guy being the next Trout on what they paid him
Exactly 1 million more than Hjerstad. I think the O’s will regret that, but its going to take years until we know.
You’re betting the O’s will benefit from a top draft pick…?
Why will it take years? The kid is 21, ya all know how old Bichette and Vlad Jr. are right?
He’s not wrong, it will likely be years(More then one) before the Orioles know whether to regret drafting Kjerstad over Martin or not. That’s all he’s saying, he didn’t say it will be years before Martin reaches the show. Although, I do think it probably will be more then one year before he’s an MLB regular, considering he’s losing most of his Junior NCAA season and his first try at professional minor league development (rookie ball) and possibly even fall league.
Depends. If the Jays put him on the 60 man roster then he will get to practice and play against ML or near ML talent while being coached by a team of high end coaches. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in 2021 or even this year if all goes well for him (and poorly for everyone in CF).
Your dreamin maybe 2022 at the earliest before he comes up
The Jays had a sneaky good draft…..
Hard not to when Austen Martin falls into your lap. I don’t think they thought there was any chance of that happening. I figured we would get Gonzales, Meyer or Veen. Possibly even Lacy but I figured he would be off the board as well. As soon as Miami selected Meyer I thought NO effing way, we are either getting Martin or Lacy. The rest is history, hopefully Austen makes all 4 of them regret not selecting him.
I think what he meant bob meant was the overall draft was good even outside of Martin. Which I tend to agree with. Got more good pitching prospects, can’t get enough of that
Forsure, I agree. Van Eyk is nasty. Palmer and Frasso are beasts, we all know how much Mark and co. love big right handed college pitchers. I’m just saying, hard not to have a good draft when Austen falls to #5.
Van Eyk walks too many guys in college. Red Flag, automatic.
Palmer dominated a weak conference at a meh school.
Frasso has a long way to go and about to turn 22.
Jays would be lucky if one makes a positive impact in the Majors.
Any team in mlb will be lucky if just 1 of their draft picks fullfil their potential. If even 2 of them make any kind of a positive impact in the majors you will be ahead of the game.
Totally agree about the drafts if one out of the five make the Bigs and stay its an accomplishment
Sometimes us Jays fans can’t tone down the over-the-top rhetoric. Draft picks 2-4 have upside, but we also have to be real about it.
Excellent. Already the 16th best prospect in Baseball according to Baseball America,
Love the fact that he is an elite hitter with a great eye. Those players tend to turn out pretty well.
The Jays could exceed their pool by $485,000 and saved about $250K on their other signings, so I am guessing he signed for very close to $7 million
Some good news from Jays land. I peg him in Centerfield as early as 2022.
Really? I thought you would have said SS when Bo Bichette doesn’t cut it in the majors.
Mcsad, just watch Bichette’s [non covid] health over the next few years. And if you are trying to quote me, at least get it correct. I said he would make the majors and be a below average ballplayer because his core and wrists wouldn’t hold up over a 162 game season.
Correct me if i am wrong but i believe the Jays have signed all their top draft picks since 2015
Since 2013 first rounder Phil Bickford I believe.
No, it’s Brady Singer in 2015, 2nd round. Singer decided to go to university instead, and was later drafted 18th overall by the Royals in 2018…. MLB has him 59th in the top 100 prospect list.
hope hes still good next year…
just made my day. i was getting worried. also very content with the rewarming with boras
Nice. It looks like outfield is his quickest path to the majors. Hopefully we see him by late 2021 or early 2022.
Is there no consideration to moving Vlad to 1B and having Martin at 3B? Is Vlad at 3B and Rowdy Tellez (or another) really the best defensive IF? Or could Martin slide into 2B? Should be interesting with that flexibility.
I’m sure that will depend on how the offseason plays out…. but he’s likely starting out as an OF this year.
If Vlad shows he can’t handle 3b this year… and the Jays somehow convince Betts to sign here… or pull off last years rumoured Senzel trade…. or a couple of Alford/Fisher/Teoscar put up a big season…. then maybe Martin moves to 3b next year.
Nice to have the flexibility.
It all comes down to SP, Jays made a few moves in the off season but will those moves be beneficial ?
Don’t forget about Groshans. He can be the third baseman once he is ready for the majors and moving Vlad to first.
I like the spoonerism you wrote that makes Heston Kjerstad sound like Keston Hiura.
Oh thank God you are still here to correct spelling at a free fan site. What would we do without your kind? I mean we can obviously understand what is written just fine but for the sake of pure academic excellence you are here. I know your need to go on a free fan site correcting people’s spelling and grammatical errors is all about you and your needs but still..you are here for all of us. Thank you.
Look at that bicep damnnnn. Lets go Jays!!!
At long last. He is here. Jays fans lining up at the altar as we speak.
Will he save me from my sins and grant me eternal life?
Please he may never make the Bigs, relax and let’s see what he does in ST if he is on the 60 man roster
He probably did get a deal above-slot.
But He probably went 5th because Boras was (reportedly) asking for 1.1 dough–and it backfired.
Good for Toronto fans, though.
Jay’s have all but 1 signed. The 4th rounder nick frasso I believe is still unsigned. Hes a 6’5″ Rhp who used to play basketball. Good athlete with mid 90’s heat and a high 70’s hammer. Seems like hes a 4 or 5 starter or setup man if he reaches his potential. Best case would be a closer or a 3, most likely middle relief but hes the kinda guy u take a flyer on
I believe the Jay’s have just under 3.8 mil spent before Martin and frasso
Correction just under 2.8 spent. 7,454,800 is everything else they have to spend, unless Frasso signs for 250,000 I expect him to enter the system. Martin prob gets 7-7.3
Do not forget they can spend up to 5% over their 9+ Mil draft pool before losing a draft pick and only incurr a tax penalty.
I am glad they were able to Bond with Austin Martin. No Q’s about him. I assume that his physical was not performed by Dr. No. Let’s hope he can help the Jays get some Gold for his finger.
Good work Blue Jays. Now send him to camp.
Going off the scouting reports, he looks like a hitter/fielder in the mold of Jeff Cirillo with a utility bonus.
Foresight is 50-50, but Martin makes the risks less dangerous by being a flexible asset. Even if he doesn’t end up an all-star caliber player, he could still give the team a flexible asset to move across the field.
It’s a safe pick that could potentially become a key cog in the Blue Jays line-up and still be useful whether that potential is fully realized or not.
I don’t blame the O’s for going with Hjerstsd. The Orioles are closer to the rebuild starting line then the Jays are, so I don’t disagree with them saving money for their other picks in the draft (not that I do agree).
I could take either side of the quantity vs quality argument, but I see no point in doing so. Both have their merits and detriments as well as other factors leading to either choice. I’ll let the results determine my final thoughts on the Orioles decision.
In any case, hope you Blue Jay fans are excited for Austin Martin. It will be interesting to see what happens for him here on out.
I’d take 1995-2001 Cirillo numbers.
Yeah, I figured that would be his ceiling. However, who am I to say it won’t end up being his floor? I am self-convinced that he will out perform Cirillo’s Hr/Ab ratio; the flyball landscape practically guarantees it.
My thoughts aside, I agree with yours that prime Cirillo is the preferred Cirillo as far as possible outcomes go.
Yeah who knows. Martin needs to put on another 15-20 pounds of muscle if he’s really listed at 170. He has good wheels. The question is where will he fit long term on the diamond. 2020 being a wash really hurts the Blue Jays with their young arms in the minors and the current young position players in the majors auditioning for jobs.
Vlad could handle 3B, but I might be wrong. I think Bo is better suited at 2B than SS, but I might be wrong. Cavan hasn’t played CF so I’m not certain he could play there but I could be wrong. 2020 was going to be an indicator, and that would have allowed the Jays to properly handle Martin in a position of need. It’ll just have to be decided later than expected.
Yeah, the Jays have a trifecta of young talent in the three players mentioned. It would be unfair to judge their merits on a season operating under a new and temporary (?) landscape.
The Austin Martin hype train is stuck in a shed until a proper season lays down the tracks.
Good take, Jacob. I thought the O’s were smart for cutting the underslot deal with Kjerstad, and spreading the wealth. They’ve got a ways to go on the rebuild; and the more lottery tickets you have, the better the chance to win. I also really like Kjerstad. The power potential plays with what the Orioles traditionally do.
Martin may be pretty good in his own right. I definitely didn’t see him on par with Torkelson, and he wasn’t a slam dunk at #2 for me. He could be exactly what the Jays need though.
I think both teams made the right move for themselves.
Similar thoughts, different perspectives. Though (assuming) I’m higher on Martin then yourself, the actual results are TBD. He could end up a relief pitcher for all we know, but the lottery that is life aside, I can understand some reasons as to why the lukewarm grading.
Since I’m lazy, I’ll be calling Kjerstad by “KJ”. Your thoughts on KJ and the Orioles drafting strategy are those that I resonate with. I’m not going to say I have the same opinion ( we are different individuals), but I will say that I agree with your opinion.
I honestly have too much time, so having others willing to entertain me by sharing and comparing thoughts with myself (and vice versa) is appreciated.
So the blue jays owe some of that money to the orioles as a thank you for letting him fall. The real question is is Martin related to Russell Martin because that is now a requirement to play on the Jays.
I found it hilarious that so many Blue Jay fans were worried he wasn’t going to sign. Covid19 basically assured all picks to sign. College might not play and at least he will get to be on the 60 man roster and get a signing bonus.
You found that hilarious? wow….
For some reason, I feel like this kid might only end up being a super-utility guy and not the All Star most people are predicting or hoping for. He had tons of protection in that Vandy lineup, so the high batting average was to be expected given his talent and competition. The problem is that he really doesn’t hit for enough power to be a starting corner IF or corner OF and he doesn’t steal enough bases or have the elite speed to be an All Star CF. Perhaps 2B is his best bet for every day play in the majors. I could very well be wrong, but if he wasn’t hitting dingers at age 20 with jacked up aluminum bats, he’s going to need some serious swing changes in order to hit 20-30 HRs in MLB with wooden bats. Hopefully I am wrong and the kid blossoms into a star, but he’s going to have to put in a lot of work in order to get there.
You are certainly correct in that it’s a huge step from college to the majors, but the flip side is that at 21 years old, he has a few years of physical maturing and strengthening ahead of him, as well as the best coaching available. Where he is now is nowhere near where he will be when he’s ready for the majors.
You’ve never watched him play live. He is an animal on the ball field. He reminds me of George Brett or Pete Rose in their desire to succeed.
Aluminum bats are not what they used to be in the 90’s and 00’s. In 2011, high schools and NCAA required players to switch to BBCor bats which are modified so they cannot have a greater batted ball speed than a wood bat. So yes, back in the day aluminum bats boosted power numbers, but not anymore. That’s why there aren’t as many home runs in high school and college since 2011.
Dorthy, Please tell me why Gurriel Jr. Vlad Jr. Biggio, Bichette, Tellis, Janson, Hernandez, Shaw and Gritch are not better protection than his Vandy team mates? How many of the Vandy protection are in the MLB?
Even if he only steals about 10 bags a season and doesn’t develop 20-30 HR power he could end up something like Zobrist, who appeared in a few all star games. If he puts together a Zobrist like career I’d be pretty happy with it
My guess is he got somewhere between second and fifth slot money, but considering Torkelson (Boras client) signed for a measly $1000 over slot, that may have set the market a bit.
I guess Fasso will get a take-it-or-leave-it offer with what’s left on the table.
This pick is going to end up being the most under rated picks in history. The first 4 teams that skipped over are going to be mad in the end.
This kid is a gamer. His desire to be the best and help his team win is nearly unmatched. The Blue Jays robbed this years draft.
Team scouts will be fired over Martin.
FrozenRopes – honest question, what position is he best suited to play?
Someone is drinking the Martin koolaid.
I believe he will be the best player in this draft. Only time will tell though. The Blue Jays are assembling a fun roster.
Does anyone know what picks 1-4 signed for? Maybe his 7mil price tag was known and teams found it too high.
1 – Torkelson 8.42
2 – Kjerstad 5.2
3 – Meyer 6.7
4 – Lacy 6.67
5 – Martin 7
But something is off here because the Jays only had 6,510,700 left to sign Martin
How do you not know the rules, they have been debated reletlesly. follow the game much or are ya just a bandwagoner?
You really are classless to respond like that. Enjoy your Dansby Swanson bust 2.0 that you paid 7 mil to.
Thanks! I agree something is off here…
Teams balked on Martin because he’s represented by Boras
Sure, i guess no other player Boras represented was drafted and signed right?? or do you even know?
Ya know the # 1 over all pick????
Baltimore, yes.
Other teams may have wanted a pitcher they felt could be a TOR arm. The Blue Jays had a GM that exclusively drafted pitchers or the odd catcher in the first couple rounds. That line of thinking perhaps holds true for the teams ahead of Toronto.
My math says they’ve spent more money on their 5 selections then they were allocated. How is this possible?
Sounds like if Frasso signs for $454K or less, they’ve got everyone signed with no future penalties.
He’s in at 459k. It just hasn’t been reported here yet. Either that or mlb.com is wrong. Something is off here.
Confirmed by the Jays. Exactly 5% over, will not be stripped any future picks
A team can outspend their draft pool but it comes with penalties. A team can spend up to 5% over their draft pool and they have to pay a 75% tax on the overage. Many teams are willing to do that. Going over 5% and up to 10% and a team will lose their 1st round pick in next year’s draft, so 5% over is pretty much the limit teams are willing to spend.
So similar to the top luxury tax bracket? I’m still searching for this but I’m taking your word on it
No limit on what you can spend, if the team goes over their alloted draft pool by under 5% there is a tax penelty, over 5% they the team starts to lose draft picks
How do people not know the Jays had 9.7 Mil plus available, and could go up to 5% over that with only incurring a tax hit after which gives them over 10 Mil to spend before losing a draft pick. Lots of teams have exceeded their pool, some never spent all their pool. try reading some of the other articles!
Jays are $271k over their allotment, with one pick left to sign
Jays have all picks signed now only going 5% over
After all is said the Jays spent an average of just over 2 million for 5 prospects. Well done Jays
Actually 5.02% provided the figures reported are accurate
So, the 75% luxury tax, is it 75% of the 9.716 allotment or the actual incurred 10.204?
Never mind, it’s the overage, so 75% of $487,500 is $365,625. + the $10,204,000 the Jays spent equals $10,569,625 and no 2021 first round pick. You Jays fans better hope I’m wrong and he’s not Dansby Swanson 2.0
Shout out to Jaysfan for motivating me to do my homework
Everything I’ve seen said they went up to the dollar they could without giving up their 2021 1st. He won’t be Dansby Swanson because he has more positional flexibility but even if he is, so what? Swanson has averaged about 1.5 WAR a year so far he’s not exactly a useless player and mlb drafts are notoriously difficult to predict
Very true JBS. And to be totally honest I like Swanson too. But you really want a home run with a top 5 pick, not a finesse guy. I just went off of what mlb.com is reporting cause they’re reporting all 5 picks dollar figures and it adds up to 10,204,000 but 1.05 x the 9,716,500 comes in at 10,202,325 so an excess of just south of 2k on 5% is what the Jays spent. My guess is the figures are inaccurate but it is mlb.com that’s reporting it.