The Rangers have traded Richie Martin Jr. to the Rockies, according to the infielder’s transaction log on MLB.com. He has been assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque. There’s no word on what Colorado is sending Texas in return, although it’s likely cash considerations.
Martin, now 31, was the Athletics’ first-round pick in the 2015 draft. Three years later, the Orioles took him with the first pick in the 2018 Rule 5 draft. He would play 120 games for Baltimore in his rookie season and another 50 between 2021 and ’22. Throughout his time with the O’s, he hit .212 with seven home runs and a .572 OPS, swiping 13 bases on 17 attempts. In the field, he mostly played shortstop, though he also started a handful of games at second base. Defensive metrics like DRS and OAA rated him as a well-below-average glove. All told, Martin produced -1.1 fWAR in 170 games from 2019-22. He has not played in the majors since.
Over the last few years, Martin has signed minor league contracts with the Reds, Nationals, Angels, and Rangers. He also spent time in the independent Atlantic League. In a total of 316 games at the Triple-A level, he owns a .238/.339/.352 slash line with 12 home runs, 95 stolen bases, and an 84 wRC+. He will now offer the Rockies some infield depth with MLB experience.
