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Royce Lewis started his first Opening Day in a fashion that only he can. Stepping in for his first at bat against Cole Ragans, Lewis launched a solo home run over the wall to put Minnesota on the board first. Unfortunately the good vibes didn’t last long as he came up limping following an RBI double by Carlos Correa.
It was determined that he had injured his quad, and after limping towards the dugout, it was apparent that a stint on the injured list would be necessary. Brooks Lee remains down in Fort Myers dealing with a back issue, and Jose Miranda is not currently healthy enough to play third base. That paves a path for Austin Martin to make his debut, and the former prize of the Jose Berrios package gets to put on the Twins uniform in a major league game for the first time.
When the Minnesota front office opted against extending Berrios, they made him among the most coveted starters on the trade market. Toronto wound up being interested, and Derek Falvey was able to land not only Martin, but Simeon Woods Richardson as well. While both have developed at different rates, the return was seen as exceptional.
Martin was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt. He brought a high batting average with great contact skills and significant speed. As a college athlete he spent a significant amount of time on the dirt, specifically at the hot corner. Since reaching pro ball, Martin has moved off of shortstop, and has exclusively played second base or the outfield.
As an infield defender, the glove is shaky. Martin moved to the right side of the diamond after it was clear limitations were going to make shortstop a stretch. He has been better at second base, but still would not grade out as a plus defender at the position. In the outfield is where he shines, and his instincts in centerfield are really impressive.
At the plate it has been something of a slow burn for Martin. He posted just a .685 OPS during his first full year in the Twins system. Playing 90 games at Double-A Wichita during 2022, he showed an ability to command the strike zone, but the balls in play often left something to be desired. Last year he got a slow start as he dealt with an arm injury that begged the question as to whether Tommy John surgery would be necessary. Eventually he worked his way to Triple-A St. Paul and posted a .791 OPS across 59 games. During his final 40 games last year, Martin posted an .885 OPS with an even K/BB and 13 stolen bases with five home runs.
There was some question as to whether Martin may be worthy of a September or Postseason roster inclusion as a speed guy last year, but ultimately that didn’t come to fruition. He will now be tasked with taking the roster spot vacated by Lewis, but shouldn’t be expected to fill the same role. Third base will likely be manned primarily by Kyle Farmer and Willi Castro. Martin can rotate at second base with Edouard Julien, and he can spell guys in the outfield along with Manuel Margot. His addition to the roster brings Rocco Baldelli another utility type, and the way lineups are constructed will get even more creative.
At the dish the expectation should be more average and on-base ability than anything else. He isn’t much of a power guy, and that includes gap power for doubles. He can certainly steal bases if Minnesota wants him to, and while the former top 100 prospect luster has worn off, there’s no reason he can’t be a guy that helps out a major league roster.
Martin got a taste of the big leagues this spring with 24 at bats during Grapefruit League action. Now, when he gets into a game for Minnesota, he will be making his major league debut just after turning 25 years old. April is probably sooner than anyone expected to see Martin, and the circumstances for his promotion aren’t great, but it’s a rookie that can provide some valuable skills to the big league roster.
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