Austin Martin is always competing on the diamond. No matter what situation the Vanderbilt junior finds himself in, he attacks the game at full speed, always ready to make something happen.
Martin wants to win every play, every pitch, every situation, whether that happens to be the College World Series or in non-conference play.
“The one thing that makes him so unique is he plans and simply competes against the ball,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. “If the ball is hit, he wants to catch it. If the ball is thrown, he wants to catch it. If the ball is thrown at him and he has a bat, he wants to hit it.
“He just competes against the ball as well as any player I’ve seen.”
That mentality had Martin prepared for a whirlwind 2019. As a sophomore, he helped Vanderbilt win the national championship by hitting .392/.486/.604 with 10 home runs and 18 stolen bases. He moved to third base, a new position for him. He led the Southeastern Conference in batting. He was the only underclassmen to be named All-America.
Martin had just two days to celebrate following the national championship before he and closer Tyler Brown were on a plane to Cary, N.C., to join USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team for its summer tour, which soon took them to Taiwan and Japan. Martin moved to center field for Team USA, helping to fill a hole left by injury, and continued to star.
This story is from the February - March 2020 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February - March 2020 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NOBODY'S PERFECT
No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday has one flaw in an otherwise airtight profile
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
At nearly every level of his professional career, outfielder Colton Cowser has taken time to acclimate. His major league debut last season was no different.
ORGANIZATION TALENT RANKINGS
For the second consecutive year, the Orioles enter the season with the best farm system in baseball.
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH NEW ROSTER LIMITS
No one can fully predict what will happen with the reduced 165-player minor league roster limits, but baseball officials weighed in with predictions for 2024, some of which we heard repeatedly.
NO MORE SLACK IN THE SYSTEM
The in domestic minor leagues creates consternation for farm directors
INTERNATIONAL TREASURES
Why MLB teams value foreign professionals more than ever
HIGH-FLYING BIRDS
Learning from past success and failure in Houston, Mike Elias and his united front office remade the Orioles into winners— and they got there ahead of schedule
ARIZONA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Early promotions of star prospects led to a bit of a down season for the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League.
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Even before the Rookie-level Florida Complex League season began, scouts who saw extended spring training gushed over the Yankees' talent, starting with shortstop Roderick Arias and 6-foot7 pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange. Outfielder John Cruz mashed 10 home runs as a 17-year-old.
SALAS COULD BE SPECIAL
When Ethan Salas arrived in the California League on May 30, he immediately displayed talent well beyond his years.
