Joe Martinez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #32 prospect in 2010
  Martinez led the Double-A Eastern League with a 2.49 ERA in 2008, then surprisingly made San Francisco's 2009 Opening Day roster as a long reliever. He earned a victory in the season opener, but a Mike Cameron line drive fractured his skull in three places two days later. Martinez showed no fear when he got back on the mound in July and earned his way back to the majors in September. A smart competitor with fringy stuff, he's at his best when inducing groundballs with his 86-88 mph sinker. He also throws a curveball and changeup, with the latter grading as his best pitch. Martinez does all the little things well, such as holding runners, fielding his position and laying down a sacrifice bunt. He'll again be a candidate for a long-relief role in spring training but is more likely to begin the season in the Triple-A Fresno rotation.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #30 prospect in 2009
  Tim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner weren't the only Giants pitching prospects to win ERA titles last year. Martinez quietly put together a sensational season, and his 2.49 ERA edged out Trenton's Phil Coke for the lowest mark in the Double-A Eastern League. While Connecticut's Dodd Stadium is a pitcher-friendly ballpark, Martinez's numbers were actually better on the road. The Boston College product is a ground-ball machine, throwing a sinking 86-88 mph fastball, a true curveball and a plus changeup consistently down in the strike zone. In the past, Martinez would throw 10 good fastballs and follow with five down the middle, but he was consistent with his command throughout 2008. He has been among the system's most durable minor league arms over the past three seasons. The Giants will really begin to get excited about Martinez if he can continue to induce groundouts when he makes the jump to the launching pads of the Pacific Coast League this season.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #20 prospect in 2007
  Few pitchers in the Giants system have a baseball IQ to match that of Martinez, who was a 15-game winner and the ace of a strong Augusta staff in 2006. Martinez led his Boston College staff in innings and threw four straight complete games before the Giants drafted him, so it's not surprising that he was tired by the time he made his pro debut with Salem- Keizer in 2005. He was competing against younger players in low Class A, but the Giants believe he changes speeds well enough to succeed at higher levels. Martinez competes with a two-seam fastball that sits at 84-88 mph and touches 90, along with a changeup and curveball that he throws for reliable strikes. But his real strength is his ability to add and subtract from his fastball to keep hitters off balance. Like most pitchers on the Augusta staff, Martinez compiled an impressive strikeout-walk ratio. His 11 hit batters showed he's not afraid to pitch inside despite having less than a huge fastball. The Giants compare Martinez to Ryan Vogelsong, whom they used to fetch Jason Schmidt in a 2001 deadline deal with the Pirates. If Martinez isn't used as a trade chip, he's ticketed for high Class A this season.