Nathan Martorella

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #18 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: An unsigned 30th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Martorella became a three-year starter at California and posted a .430 on-base percentage with Cotuit in the Cape Cod League. He hit a career-best .333 with 11 home runs and a .977 OPS as a junior, leading the Padres to draft him in the fifth round and sign him for $325,000. After an impressive pro debut, Martorella climbed to Double-A in his first full season in 2023. He finished tied for second in the Padres’ system with 19 home runs and went to the Arizona Fall League after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: A physical lefthanded hitter who gets into a low crouch similar to former Padres slugger Phil Plantier, Martorella will go as far as his bat takes him. He is an all-fields masher who overpowers balls with his brute strength and has average power. Martorella’s bat speed is merely average and his swing path can be flat, but he manages the strike zone well enough to hold his own against advanced pitching. Martorella is a 20-grade runner who has to improve defensively. He is a below-average defender at first base and left field with slow reaction times. He has an exceptional makeup and work ethic that should allow him to improve.
  
  The Future: Martorella’s lack of athleticism limits his ceiling, but his bat gives him a path to the majors as a power-hitting reserve. He’ll open 2024 back at Double-A.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 20 | Field: 40 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #21 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: An unsigned 30th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Martorella started all three years at California and hit .388 during conference play in 2022, best in the Pac-12. The Padres drafted him in the fifth round and signed him for an underslot $325,000. Martorella rose quickly to Low-A Lake Elsinore after signing and finished his pro debut batting in the middle of the Storm lineup as they went on to win the California League title.
  
  Scouting Report: A strong, physical lefthanded hitter who gets into a low crouch similar to former Padres slugger Phil Plantier, Martorella manages the strike zone well but hasn't yet developed a ton of feel to hit. His swing is fueled by brute strength rather than true bat speed or barrel accuracy, but he still hits the ball on the ground too often to showcase his average power consistently. Limited defensively to first base, Martorella is an average defender who has good footwork around the bag and soft hands. He is a bottom-of-the-scale runner.
  
  The Future: Without positional flexibility or a ton of athleticism, Martorella will go as far as his bat takes him. He'll open 2023 at High-A Fort Wayne.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 20. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #141 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: California Committed/Drafted: Red Sox ’19 (30)
  Age At Draft: 21.4
  BA Grade: 40/High
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Field: 40 | Arm: 50
  Martorella showed plenty of on-base ability and zone control during his first two years with California and over the 2021 summer in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .264/.430/.361 with more walks (19) than strikeouts (11). He didn’t show much in the way of average or power until his 2022 junior campaign, however, when he led California in hits, runs, doubles and walks while slashing .333/.424/.553 with 11 homers and 34 walks (12.5 BB%) to 29 strikeouts (10.7 K%). Martorella has plus raw power in the tank, but he has struggled to elevate the ball consistently and take advantage of that power in-game. He showed improvement in that regard this spring, but he still hit around 50% of his balls in play on the ground. A maxed-out, 6-foot-1, 218-pound lefthanded hitter, Martorella starts extremely crouched and gets started with a decent sized leg kick. Perhaps a swing or mechanical change could unlock more power at the next level, because his contact ability and zone control are there. He’s a first base-only profile and might eventually be a DH, though scouts have complimented his footwork and hands around the bag. He’s a well below-average runner who won’t be a threat on the bases.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: An unsigned 30th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Martorella started all three years at California and hit .388 during conference play in 2022, best in the Pac-12. The Padres drafted him in the fifth round and signed him for an underslot $325,000. Martorella rose quickly to Low-A Lake Elsinore after signing and finished his pro debut batting in the middle of the Storm lineup as they went on to win the California League title.
  
  Scouting Report: A strong, physical lefthanded hitter who gets into a low crouch similar to former Padres slugger Phil Plantier, Martorella manages the strike zone well but hasn't yet developed a ton of feel to hit. His swing is fueled by brute strength rather than true bat speed or barrel accuracy, but he still hits the ball on the ground too often to showcase his average power consistently. Limited defensively to first base, Martorella is an average defender who has good footwork around the bag and soft hands. He is a bottom-of-the-scale runner.
  
  The Future: Without positional flexibility or a ton of athleticism, Martorella will go as far as his bat takes him. He'll open 2023 at High-A Fort Wayne.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 20. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: An unsigned 30th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Martorella started all three years at California and hit .388 during conference play in 2022, best in the Pac-12. The Padres drafted him in the fifth round and signed him for an underslot $325,000. Martorella rose quickly to Low-A Lake Elsinore after signing and finished his pro debut batting in the middle of the Storm lineup as they went on to win the California League title.
  
  Scouting Report: A strong, physical lefthanded hitter who gets into a low crouch similar to former Padres slugger Phil Plantier, Martorella manages the strike zone well but hasn't yet developed a ton of feel to hit. His swing is fueled by brute strength rather than true bat speed or barrel accuracy, but he still hits the ball on the ground too often to showcase his average power consistently. Limited defensively to first base, Martorella is an average defender who has good footwork around the bag and soft hands. He is a bottom-of-the-scale runner.
  
  The Future: Without positional flexibility or a ton of athleticism, Martorella will go as far as his bat takes him. He'll open 2023 at High-A Fort Wayne.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 20. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.