The Rangers announced Friday that they’ve traded outfielder J.P. Martinez to the Braves in exchange for minor league right-hander Tyler Owens. Texas needed to open a spot on its 40-man roster in order to finalize yesterday’s reported signing of David Robertson, and a trade of the 27-year-old Martinez seemingly paves the way for that signing to be made official. Robertson is taking his physical in Texas today.
Martinez made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2023, appearing in 17 games and tallying 44 plate appearances late in the season. He hit .225/.250/.325 with a homer, a double and an unsightly 16 strikeouts (36.4%) during that cup of coffee. His output in 77 Triple-A games (353 plate appearances) was far more encouraging. The lefty-swinging Martinez slashed .298/.418/.543 with 14 long balls, 21 doubles, four triples and a hefty 38 stolen bases in 42 attempts. The small-sample strikeout woes that plagued him in the majors weren’t present in Triple-A; he walked at a 15.6% clip in Round Rock and fanned at a much more manageable 22.9% rate.
It’s worth noting that Martinez was older and more experienced than much of his competition in Triple-A. In addition to five minor league seasons, he played five years in the Cuban National Series (Cuba’s top professional league) and spent two seasons in the independent Canadian-American Association. Be that as it may, it was still an impressive showing and far and away his most productive minor league performance to date since signing with the Rangers organization in March of 2018. Martinez at one point ranked second among Rangers prospects, per Baseball America, but he dropped to 27th the following year (2020) and has been off the radar on major prospect rankings for the organization since.
The Braves’ outfield is full with Jarred Kelenic in left, Michael Harris II in center and reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. in right field. It’s feasible that Martinez could compete with Forrest Wall and non-roster veteran Jordan Luplow for a bench spot to begin the season. Martinez (two) and Wall (three) both have minor league option years remaining, so either could be sent down without needing to first be exposed to waivers. Luplow isn’t on the 40-man roster and would need to earn a job this spring.
Turning to the Rangers’ side of the swap, they’ll add a 23-year-old righty who was the Braves’ 13th-round pick in the 2019 draft. Owens split the 2023 season between High-A and Double-A, working to a combined 3.03 ERA in 65 1/3 innings split between the bullpen and the rotation. He fanned 23.4% of his opponents against a 7.7% walk rate, although both his strikeout and walk rate took a turn for the worse when moving up to the Double-A level from High-A.
Listed at 5’10” and 185 pounds, Owens is undersized but nonetheless elevated his prospect status with his 2023 performance. Baseball America ranked him 22nd among Braves prospects this offseason, touting a plus fastball that reaches 98 mph and befuddles hitters thanks in part to a lower-than-usual release angle. BA’s report also notes that Owens has a slider with strong spin rates which could be a plus pitch if he can locate it more consistently — which he’s struggled to do at this point in his career.
Owens gives the Rangers a potential bullpen arm who could be in the big leagues at some point in 2024 or in 2025, although it should also be noted that all 29 other teams passed on selecting him in December’s Rule 5 Draft despite being eligible.
The Rangers have more outfield depth in the upper minors and on their big league bench than the Braves, who have a stacked bullpen that left Owens with little chance of breaking through in the immediate term (barring multiple injuries on the MLB roster). Martinez is more interesting than the standard player who might be designated for assignment to make room for a free agent signing, and the Braves accordingly sent a relatively near-term bullpen prospect who seemingly has a chance to make it in the big leagues. Both clubs dealt from positions of depth and addressed areas of need; on the whole, it seems like a sensible swap for both parties.
Francys Romero first reported that Martinez had been traded to Atlanta.
WOW
Not JD Martinez
Not Pedro Martinez either.
@baseball
Are you saying he’s a combination of the two?
Not JP Morgan
Not captain Morgan
Not captain crunch
Not Nestles Crunch
It’s Cap’n Crunch…. And I heard Old Cap’n Crunch knew how to hit a curveball back in his day.
As proven by including peanut butter and berry crunch
Yummy…. Looks like I got me some milk to pour!
Captain Kangaroo gets no love…
Wicked stash.
Not Egdar Martinez
Also not Conchita Martinez
Not JD Salinger
Not DJ Jazzy Jeff
Not even TJ Maxx
I’d like to see Forrest Wall get a chance.
If he doesn’t work out for the Braves, trade him to Texas, they could sure use a Wall…
At first, I didn’t realize the Rangers had J.D. Martinez. It’s because they didn’t.
TrAAdes.
I see what you did
AA is playing 39 dimensional chess.
Blue Jays ownership wanted Shapiro, Shapiro didn’t want AA, AA takes a break in LA and now he’s on a Hall of Fame path in ATL.
And that’s A-OK, i_t.
I hope no one gets mad at me when I next say DD is playing 42 dimensional chess.
Solid return for Texas for a guy at a position of strength
Solid return for Atlanta for a guy at a position of strength
His minors stats look pretty solid, a 900 ops this past year, has speed and a little pop, got to make his major league debut. I like the add as solid depth because outside of our main starters we have forest wall, and a few others that might not see any action. It would be a travesty if somehow he ended up getting significant playing time, but as depth, and a minors stash, can’t really go too wrong with this fella.
bro is probably going to become ronald acuna jr 2.0 after getting traded to the braves. Idk how it happens, but players tend to do better playing in atlanta than any other team.
Tampa Bay also seems to do well in that department.
13 on their 40 man have been acquired via trade.
They show them the PowerPoint.
Definitely has the minors figured out.
re-established some value in the minors playing at different levels he was significantly older than. The first few years when he was only slightly older in the minors were….rough. But he had a nice pedigree upon first signing, Texas basically shifted all their money committed to Ohtani to JP when ohtani signed with LAA. I think he could be maturing now and be a 4th OF somewhere, just not where he was, and i’m assuming not in ATL either. needs a 2nd tier team
It wouldn’t be a travesty if he gets significant playing time, because he will have earned it. I find it cute that these articles have Kelenic just being given an OF spot, considering his past atrocities. If he slumps in ST, and someone else is tearing the cover off the ball, simple choice.
high floor years of control…
???
ok
I hoped J.P. had a fine career with Texas…
I thought we would’ve DFA’d Yerry Rodriguez.
It was a yerry close call.
Underrated comment, I liked it..lol
Oh.
I think the Braves still have four open slots on their 40-man. They’ll add a catcher and a righty outfielder before the season starts. Still a couple of minor moves left.
With tromp on the 40 you think we would add another catcher? I’ve heard some decent stuff about drake Baldwin, and if it came down to it wouldn’t it be better to add him than someone from the outside? add him to the 40 and sign a minors catcher.
Tromp isn’t on the 40-man.
Oh I thought he was my bad must’ve missed that. If anything though my other comment remains the same, we shouldn’t sign anyone just put tromp or baldwin on the 40 and sign a minors catcher
Yeah, I wasn’t clear in my post. I meant that they would add a catcher (Tromp) and a right OF to the 40 man. That still leaves room to add 2 from outside or promote.
Tromp was on the 40 man last year, but he was let go and picked back up on a minors deal.
So, you weren’t totally off base..Close enough, just minor semantics..lol
Not a trade of great significance.
He doesn’t seem to be much of a prospect, as he is about to turn 28. But the Braves need depth in the outfield and have openings on their 40 man roster. So, Martinez is probably a decent option for the Braves. Since he has played mostly CF and was once considered a top prospect, I’m guessing he can field well.
And he’s pretty fast and can steal some bases, plus his 900 ops from this past season in the minors is pretty nice too.
So he’s not much of a prospect because of his age? Who cares?! If he’s ready and productive, he becomes a FA at 34 and Atlanta has him for his entire prime. What a shame that would be!
Again with acquiring no name players. I mean we didn’t give Atlanta anyone crazy either but this is what rangers news has become. Such a snooze fest
This trade is literally due to the Rangers signing David Robertson. He’s not a stunning signing, but that was legitimate news.
Uhm.. What part of “Martinez is a DFA candidate and the Rangers hot something back for him” is a problem? You’d rather they just cut him?
So I take it Robertson’s physical went well.
Reminds me of Arozarena
Didn’t the cubs sign a player with a similar name? I know they signed a kid out of Cuba with the name Julio he went by his full name.
Nevermind the cubs signed Eddy Julio Martinez. Not sure what ever happened to him.
Last time I looked he was playing indy ball.
Texas seemingly has shored up it’s weakest links and is ready for the season to start.
They just need a manly presence in the rotation by signing Bauer or Urias.
“Manly presence”…I don’t believe Bauer or Urias will be playing in MLB anytime soon.
He’s 27 years old and there’s a jam packed MLB outfield in front of him. Expendable. Good job, CY.
Rangers paid Martinez ~$3MM in a signing bonus as an international prospect. At least they understand sunk cost.
Guy just need to be given a chance and he’ll be raking.
44 ABs and got a ring. Cool. Good chance for a repeat in Atlanta for sure in 24!
You would think Luplow being a RH hitter would have the inside track as the 4th Outfielder with Kelenic and Harris both being LH hitters (so are Wall and Martinez).
Martinez seems like a KBO/NPB star in the making
Why are the braves the only team making this off-season exciting ><
Like ’em or hate ’em, the Dodgers have been anything but boring this off-season
There. Everyone happy? Now try and say the off-season has been dull.
Atlanta will DFA him this season. Best position for him is sitting on bench (break glass in case of emergency, which does have value) or defensive replacement/pinch runner. I’m glad the Rangers got anything for him at this point.
As the post says there’s no need to DFA him since he has two more option years, Rangerfan.
So, by this logic, only players out of options get dfa? Btw romy Gonzalez, who has a couple of options remaining, just got designated.
Rangerfan, designating for assignment is one thing and sending a player to the minors is something else. To DFA you have 7 days to move them via trade, drop them, or pass them through waivers. If unclaimed they can be sent down to the minors. None of that is necessary if a team wants to keep a player in their system who has options available. On a minimal contract they didn’t trade for Martinez to DFA him.
I understand how what you wrote works in baseball. You are making assumptions. You missed that he could also play so poorly that he will be dfa sometime this season. Yes, even if they send him down. This is my prediction. It could be wrong. I guess we’ll see. His value will be only as the thirteenth guy on the bench. I’ve seen him play. But thanks for the refresher.
No, Rangerfan, no assumption on my part. But I understand why you would think that. I was just clarifying for you the differences in the event that you were not aware. I misunderstood your second post on the matter and was mistaken obviously.
They want to remove him from the 40, and find no value in him. Options are for shuffling from the 26.
Nope. He will get a good chance in Spring Training to make the team as a backup outfielder. If he doesn’t make it, he will be sent to AAA until there is an injury in the outfield.
The Braves’ upper level position player ranks are so thin that he actually provides a little value.
Wait that’s not JD…
*All 28 other teams passed on him during the rule 5 draft, not all 29.
Aren’t there 30 teams?
The Braves are not counted as other teams, and we are also mentioning the Rangers, who acquired him. That’s 30 – 2. Maybe, they are just excluding the Braves and not the Rangers. I realize it’s interpretation may vary.
The Rangers did pass on him during the Rule 5 draft, so 29, not 28
Texas is one of the 29. They could have picked him up but didn’t.