2nd-round pick Martin signs, visits Astros

June 28th, 2017

HOUSTON -- When Corbin Martin walked onto the field at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday afternoon after signing his contract with the Astros, the second-round pick -- a right-handed pitcher taken at No. 56 overall -- wasn't exactly in unfamiliar territory.
Martin, who received a signing bonus of $1 million according to MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis, grew up in the Houston area and went to college at nearby Texas A&M. He played college and high school games at Minute Maid Park, and also attended games as a fan when he was younger.
"I was a huge Astros fan," Martin said. "Back when we had the Killer B's, that's when I came a lot with my grandma and my aunt, and we would come as much as possible. Once I got into high school, I couldn't come as much. But I always got to stick around and watch the talent that's come through here. Now, just to be part of the organization is unreal."

Martin, 21, went 7-4 with a 3.80 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 24 games (13 starts) in his junior season for Texas A&M. He began the year in the bullpen, before joining the starting rotation in March. In his 13 starts, Martin went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings.
The Astros will send Martin to the team's Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Thursday before deciding his next step.
"The last couple of days leading up to it, a lot of thoughts have been going through my mind," Martin said. "Now that it's all said and done, and I'm actually here at Minute Maid Park, it's unreal. It's a dream come true."
The Astros have signed 27 of their 42 selections from the 2017 Draft, including nine of their 12 picks made in the first 10 rounds. They have a 4 p.m. CT deadline on July 7 to sign their remaining Draft picks, including first-round selection J.B. Bukauskas, a right-hander pitcher from North Carolina.