Richard Allen Martin Jr...His maternal grandfather, Walter “Bancy” Thomas, played in the Negro Leagues for the Detroit Stars, Kansas City Monarchs, Memphis Red Sox, Chicago American Giants and Birmingham Black Barons, and was a teammate of Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith and Jackie Robinson...Born in Detroit, Mich., but prepped at Bloomingdale High School in Brandon, Fla…In high school, was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta…Excels in math, as he skipped second grade and scored a 720 out of 800 on the math portion of the SAT…In 2014, his .364 batting average ranked second in the Cape Cod League, trailing only Kevin Newman…Was mentored by his father, Richard Sr., and former MLB All-Star Chet Lemon, with whom he trained since age 11…Worked on defense with former Rangers manager Ron Washington while both were in Spring Training with Oakland…Idolized Derek Jeter growing up.
2025
Began the season with the Gastonia (N.C.) Ghost Peppers of the independent Atlantic League, batting .318/.416/.624/1.040 (27-for-85) with seven home runs, five doubles and 16 RBI in 22 games from April 25-May 20…Was inked by Texas to a Minor League contract on May 24 and reported to Triple-A Round Rock, where he slashed .258/.348/.369/.717 (67-for-260) with three home runs, seven triples, six doubles and 30 RBI, and was 25-for-29 in stolen base attempts (86.2%) in 79 games…After joining the club on May 24, led the squad in games, triples, stolen bases and times hit by pitch (13) through the end of the season…His seven triples were the most by a Round Rock batter since Drew Robinson (10) in 2016…Appeared defensively for the Express at shortstop (55 G/51 GS) and third base (21 G/19 GS), in addition to three starts as the club’s designated hitter…Over 17 games from June 28-July 30, batted .375 with a .980 OPS (21-for-56) with one home run, two triples, one double and seven RBI…Collected a season-high four hits (all singles) in a 4-for-5 effort on June 28 vs. TAC…Was a more effective hitter against left-handed pitchers (.295/.368/.410/.778) than vs. right-handed pitchers (.242/.340/.352/.692)...Finished the season on the seven-day IL (placed Sept. 18).
2024
Signed a Minor League contract with Los Angeles-AL on Jan. 8 and was invited to Major League Spring Training, where he batted .100 (1-for-10) in seven games and was released on March 3…Spent the campaign with the Atlantic League’s Gastonia Baseball Club and hit .244/.326/.429/.755 (38-for-156) with five home runs, one triple, 12 doubles and 15 RBI in 37 games…Strung together three consecutive multi-hit games from July 14-17, including a 4-for-4 effort on July 17 vs. Southern Maryland, going 8-for-11 (.727) with one home run and two doubles in that span to raise his season batting average from .250 to .349…Was 22-for-23 in stolen base attempts (95.7%), the fifth-highest success rate on the circuit among players with 20+ attempts…Appeared in 15 games for Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League following the regular season.
2023
Opened spring on Minor League contract with Reds... Signed Minor League deal with Nationals on April 14 and spent the year with Triple-A Rochester... Batted .348 (16/55) with a .955 OPS in 14 games from May 2 to May 18, logging four multi-hit games and seven extra-base hits...Posted a six-game hitting streak from May 2 to May 9... Stole multiple bases in five games, and finished the season with 29 steals in 35 attempts (83%)...29 steals tied a career high set in 2022, and marked the third season in which Martin swiped at least 25 bases.
2022
Spent most of the season at Class AAA Norfolk but from 6/11-7/3 made all 13 of his apps for the Orioles... For the O's played 2B (10g, 7gs) and SS (2gs)... On 9/1 was designated for assignment...Two days later cleared waivers and was outrighted to Norfolk... Following the season elected free agency... On 1/17/23 was signed by the Reds to a minor league contract and invited to 2023 Major League Spring Training camp.
2021
Reinstated from the 60-day Injured List (left wrist fracture) on 8/2 and appeared in 37 games for the O’s across two stints with the big league club...Appeared in the game on 8/3 at NYY as a defensive replacement at shortstop, his first MLB game since 9/29/19; missed the 2020 season after being placed on the 60-day Injured List (right wrist fracture) on 7/13/20...Hit safely in 11 of 18 games with an at-bat after being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on 9/9, his second stint with the O’s; had two multi-hit efforts and hit .241 (13-for-54) in this stretch...Hit his first home run of the year on 8/13 at BOS, his first since 9/28/19, also at Fenway Park...His home run on 8/13 at BOS had an exit velocity of 93.0 MPH and traveled just 320 feet for an xBA of .170, landing inside the Pesky Pole; according to Statcast, it was one of only four over-the-fence home runs of less than 325 feet this season and would not have been a home run in any other Major League ballpark besides Fenway Park...Hit safely in a career-high-tying four games (8/12-16), done three times prior (last: 9/16-29/19)...Slashed .382/.417/.382 (13-for-34) in 11 day games compared to .156/.191/.234 (10-for-64) in 26 night games...Slashed .160/.219/.273 (30-for-187) with 11 XBH (4 HR, 5-2B, 2-3B) in his first 72 career games; hit .268/.304/.351 (52-for-194) with nine XBH (3 HR, 5-2B, 3B) in 85 games since...His 29.4 ft/sec Sprint Speed ranked in the top three percent of MLB, according to Statcast.
2020
Fractured his right wrist during Summer Camp and was placed on the 60-day IL on 7/14 and missed the 2020 season...Participated in his second-straight Spring Training with the Orioles, appearing in 11 games and hitting .286 (8-for-28) with four extra-base hits and seven RBI.
2019
Spent the entire season on the Major League roster after being selected first overall in the Rule 5 Draft...Made his Major League debut on Opening Day 3/28 at NYY; starting at SS and hitting 9th...His 89 starts at shortstop were the third-most by a rookie in Orioles history (Cal Ripken, Jr. - 91 in 1982 and Ron Hansen - 149 in 1960)..Hit a season-high .379/.400/.655 (11-for-29) in 17 games in September; eight of his 23 RBI during the season came in September...Batted .284 (29-for-102) in 51 games in the second half, compared to hitting .166 (30-for- 181) in 69 games in the first half...Recorded a career-high three hits on 4/8 vs. OAK; also scored a career-high three runs • Collected his first Major League hit on 3/30 at NYY with a single in the sixth inning; also stole his first career base (third base in the sixth inning)...Recorded his first career RBI on 4/18 at TB; recorded his first multi-RBI game on 6/8 at HOU...Hit his first career home run on 5/22 vs. NYY off of CC Sabathia...Hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning on 6/5 at TEX; his first career home run against right-handed pitching (Shawn Kelley).
2018
Named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star...Named a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star while with Double-A Midland...Named the Texas League Player of the Week on 8/26: .400 (8-for-20), 1-2B, 1-3B, 2 HR, 6 R, 5 RBI, 6 G...Ranked third in the Texas League in hitting (.300)...His eight triples were tied with teammate Eli White for the most in the Texas League...Set career-highs in games (118), runs (68), hits (136), total bases (199), doubles (29), triples (8), walks (44), and steals (25)...Hit .379 (39-for-103) with 12 doubles, two triples, a home run, and 10 RBI in 27 games in May...Hit a combined .343 (36-for-105) with five doubles, three triples, three home runs, and 13 RBI in 28 games in August and September...Had a season-high 11-game hitting streak from 5/22-6/2...Recorded his first career multi-home run game on 8/23 at Corpus Christi...Stole three bases in a game twice (5/30 vs. Arkansas and 7/16 at San Antonio)...Hit safely in 11 consecutive home games from 7/20-8/14, batting .283 (13-for-46) with a double, 10 runs, and two RBI...Hit safely in nine-straight road games from 5/11-27, batting .472 (17-for-36), with five doubles, a triple, home run, and three RBI... Reached base safely in 13 consecutive road games from 5/6-27, hitting .400 (20-for-50), with eight doubles, a triple, home run, seven runs, and three RBI.
2017
A non-roster invitee to Spring Training...Split the season between the Double-A Midland RockHounds and Class A-Advanced Stockton Ports, starting the season playing in 86 games for the RockHounds and playing his final 23 games with the Ports...Led Midland in hit by pitches (11)...Placed on the disabled list twice during the season...Finished the season hitting safely in 12 of his final 13 games, batting .370 (20-for-54) during this stretch...Hit .277 (36-for-130) in 39 home games with Midland, compared to hitting .179 (28-for-156) in 47 away games...Hit .321 (18-for-56) in 13 road games with Stockton, compared to hitting .184 (7-for-38) in 10 home games.
2016
Spent most of his second professional season at Single-A Stockton where he batted .230 with three home runs and 31 RBI in 86 games…was promoted to Double-A Midland in September and went 5-for-15 (.333) with seven RBI in five regular season games with the RockHounds…combined to hit .235 in 91 games overall…was hit by a pitch 10 times and drew 39 walks for a .327 on-base percentage…stole 14 bases, which tied for eighth in the A's farm system…his .230 batting average at Stockton was fourth lowest in the California League…missed the first six weeks of the season after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus on his left knee…hit .251 (63-for-251) with all three of his home runs against right-handed pitching compared to .192 (30-for-156) against left-handers…batted just .196 in 40 games at home with Stockton and went 0-for-3 in his lone home game with Midland…all three of his home runs came on the road…two came with runners on base…hit .211 with runners in scoring position at Stockton but went 5-for-6 (.833) in that situation with Midland for a .256 average with RISP overall…appeared exclusively at shortstop on defense where he played in 87 games and made 86 starts…committed 19 errors for a .948 fielding percentage…also went 2-for-12 (.167) in four games at designated hitter, all with Stockton… hit in every spot in the order except third through fifth and saw his most action with 31 games batting second…also hit .279 with a .362 on-base percentage in 27 games batting leadoff…was rated as the A's No. 9 prospect by Baseball America following the season.
