Nathan Martorella

Martorella showed excellent plate discipline and on-base skills his first two seasons at California and in the Cape Cod League last summer, but he struggled to turn his natural strength into productive power in games. That changed in 2022 and led to a breakout season for the Golden Bears. He hit .333/.424/.553 with 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 46 RBIs this spring, all career bests, while still posting more walks (34) than strikeouts (29). Martorella is a strong, physical lefthanded hitter who gets into a low crouch in his stance similar to former Padres slugger Phil Plantier. He expertly manages the strike zone and shows plus raw power he's increasingly accessing in games. Martorella has the strike-zone control and contact skills to be an average hitter, but he still hits the ball on the ground too often. He'll need to learn to elevate more in order to reach his offensive potential. Martorella is limited to first base defensively. He's a well below-average runner but has good footwork around the bag and soft hands. Martorella's power surge this spring helps him profile at first base and elevated him into the top 10 rounds. He should be taken sometime in the middle of the draft's second day.