Video scouting report »
Martin has a chance to follow the path set by Dansby Swanson, who played a starring role in a Vanderbilt national championship and went No. 1 overall in the 2015 Draft. A 37th-round pick by the Indians as a Florida high schooler in 2017, he could have gone in the top five rounds if signability weren't a factor. He started games at six different positions as a freshman and opened last year at second base before settling in at third base, leading NCAA Division I in runs (87) and the Southeastern Conference in hitting (.392) and on-base percentage (.486).
The best pure hitter in the 2020 Draft, Martin has tremendous feel for the barrel and makes consistent hard contact with a short, quick right-handed stroke. He's not overly physical and may not have more than average raw power, but his hitting ability allows him to tap into every bit of it. He controls the strike zone extremely well and uses the entire field, exhibiting no weaknesses at the plate.
Martin possesses solid speed and the instincts to play faster than that on the bases. A twitchy athlete, he has the quick feet, soft hands and enough arm to handle almost any position, though there are some concerns about his throwing. Scouts were hoping to see him at shortstop in 2020, but he instead opened the season at third base before moving to center field (where he could be a solid defender), and there's some thought he could wind up at second base.
Martin started games at six positions as a Vanderbilt freshman and opened 2019 at second base before settling in at third base. He led NCAA Division I in runs (87) and the Southeastern Conference in batting (.392) and on-base percentage (.486), helping the Commodores win their second College World Series championship and setting himself as a potential No. 1 overall pick for 2020. The Blue Jays were surprised to find him available with the No. 5 overall choice and signed him for $7,000,825, the 12th-highest bonus in Draft history.
The best pure hitter in this year's Draft, Martin has outstanding feel for the barrel and effortlessly makes hard contact with a short, quick right-handed stroke. He's not overly physical and may not possess more than average raw power, but his uncanny hitting ability allows him to make the most of it. He controls the strike zone very well and uses the entire field, showing no weaknesses at the plate.
Though Martin is a twitchy athlete with soft hands and quick feet, there are concerns about his arm and questions about where he'll find a defensive home. Though Toronto announced him as a shortstop, he never could win that job at Vanderbilt and throwing issues prompted a move from third base to center field a week into the shortened 2020 season. He could be a solid defender in center and several evaluators think he'll wind up at second base.
