Austin Martin is Prepared for Whatever Role the Twins ask Ahead of his MLB debut

[Theodore Tollefson]

Austin Martin has officially been called-up to the Minnesota Twins to make his MLB debut. But just two days ago he was still in St. Paul and training with his Triple-A teammates ahead of their season opener. Here what he shared with Twins Daily's Theodore Tollefson ahead of his 2024 season.

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

Many people, including Austin Martin, knew that his MLB debut would be a matter of when, not if, in 2024. With fellow infielder Royce Lewis going down with a quad injury on Opening Day Thursday, the opportunity came sooner than what Martin had expected as he will be joining the Twins on Saturday afternoon for game two of the season.

Back on Thursday, Martin was in St. Paul still working out with the Twins Triple-A affiliate, taking swings in their underground batting changes and chatting with his longtime minor-league teammates. Only two days later, he got the call to make his MLB debut with the Twins.

For Martin, the timing of when he’d make his debut was never a focus as that decision was entirely out of his control. 

“I try to control what I can control,” said Martin at CHS Field on Thursday. “And what I can control is how I come to the ballpark, how I approach my work, and the effort I give on the field. That’s really where my focus is, it’s a day-to-day type of grind, type of mentality, I can’t really be looking too much into the future. Especially when something that really isn’t a decision I can make. All I can do is be on the field every day and perform well.”

Luckily in Martin’s case, he wouldn’t have to go on the field once with the Saints to start the 2024 season as Friday’s home opener was postponed due to field conditions. Now he will be with the Twins for the foreseeable future until Lewis returns from the injured list. 

He finished the 2023 season on a strong note with St. Paul. He hit .286 with a .427 on-base percentage. He knocked home runs, drove in 21 runs, and stole 13 bases in his final 40 games on the year. Martin attributes a lot of this regained success to him focusing on his strengths. 

“100%, I’m just building off of last season. I think since I made that adjustment in the second half of 23. Whenever I came back from that first injury, I think I’ve seen a lot of progressions with myself, especially on the field. Since I’ve made that adjustment I feel a lot more confident and the results are starting to show,” Martin said.

The results may have been their best in spring training games this year for Martin as he had a .208/.321/.250 triple slash in 10 games. But those numbers, like for many players, are just a matter of shaking off the off-season dust and resting their bodies to play every day. 

He had time to get acquainted with the Saints' new hitting coach Shawn Schlechter, who himself has been with the Twins organization since 2020 and has slowly been promoted from High-A to Triple-A as each affiliate hitting coach. Martin has always been a level ahead of where Schlecter is coaching in the Minors, but the start of 2024 looked to be their first season to work together. 

“I think he knows his superpower, and we know his superpower is controlling the zone, making good hitting decisions, and hitting line drives all over the field,” said Schlechter. “Which is something I think he has gotten back to just being able to know his plan and approach and sticking to it and committing to it and being intentional when he steps in the box.”

Martin has only worked with Schlecter for a short time these last two months but says their relationship built this spring was more than fruitful.

“Working with him this spring, I love him. I think he’s a great guy and I think we’ll be able to get a lot of work done here. I think he’s still trying to figure me out, like understand my routines, how I think in the box, how I operate, stuff like that. Right now he’s just watching me, kind of letting me go and if he has anything for me I am sure he’ll let me know,” said Martin. 

Martin’s main priority in Spring Training wasn’t worrying about his performance in games, but rather adjusting to playing two new positions the Twins wanted him in for the 2024 season; right and left field.

“I think it’ll look similar to how it was last year. There will be a lot of bouncing around, probably mostly between second and center field, with some games played in left field and right field as well,” he said. 

Second base and center field are the positions Martin has become the most familiar and comfortable with since joining the Twins organization in August of 2021. He’s accepted it’s unlikely he will see playing time at shortstop in the Majors, but he is up for the challenge of being in the corner outfield positions.

“It is a little different whenever you play in the corners just because the ball comes at you a little differently off of hitters bats whether they’re left or righty. That’s just stuff that with experience you take into account. It’s not really that big of an adjustment, I mean the ball goes in the air and you run and catch it,” said Martin.

Now the opportunity has arrived for Martin to make his MLB debut against the Kansas City Royals before the weekend is over. His role with the team has not yet been solidified but as a right-handed hitter who can play second base and any position in the outfield, there’s bound to be an opportunity for him to see playing time before the Twins leave Kansas City and make their way to Milwaukee. 

“I’m confident in the fact that it’s more of a matter of when not if and I just got to take care of my business. And as long as I do that I’ll be fine.”

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[JD-TWINS]

Glad he seems mentally prepared to be in either corner spot as well as CF. He’ll get AB’s and pinch run a bunch IMO.

They now have an alternative for Kepler in RF v. LH starting pitching with Martin. Castro at 3B - Farmer at 2B - Margot in LF is a good line-up v. LH pitching.