JAYS UNLOAD MARTIN FOR PROSPECTS
Canadian-born catcher moving back to Los Angeles
No doubt Russell Martin is thrilled to be heading to Los Angeles, and not just because the weather is nice.
The veteran catcher looked like he was suffocating in Toronto last season and will be getting a fresh start with a team he’s very familiar with.
The Jays traded Martin on Friday to his former club, the Dodgers, for a couple of interesting prospects, 19-year-old shortstop Ronny Brito and right-handed pitcher Andrew Sopko.
Jays GM Ross Atkins deserves kudos for being able to ship out the aging Martin and his Us$20-million contract (though the Jays will eat most of that) and getting something decent in return. Whether Brito and the 24-year-old Sopko progress into quality major-league players, nobody knows. Both are intriguing talents, particularly Brito, who has been described as having Gold Glove talent at short.
The Jays did not want Martin around for another season, even though he’s one of the best at calling a game, framing pitches and generally lifting his pitching staff. The 2018 season was a nightmare for the Toronto-born catcher. Martin, who turns 36 next month, hit just .194 with eight doubles, 10 home runs, and 56 walks over 90 games.
Worse than that, he looked like he was ready to snap at times, and did lose his cool near the end of the season when he was asked how he felt about not playing in September. Martin graciously agreed to step back in the final month of the season to let rising young stars Danny Jansen and Reese Mcguire handle most of the duties behind the plate, but he clearly wasn’t happy. And you couldn’t blame him.
The Montreal-raised catcher has been a winner throughout his career, and sitting on the bench with a team going nowhere fast had to be extremely frustrating. But his offensive skills have eroded considerably and the writing was on the wall.
The four-time all-star joins the list of other aging stars who have been shipped out of Toronto, including Josh Donaldson,
J.A. Happ and Troy Tulowitzki. With Rowdy Tellez waiting in the wings, it’s likely first baseman Justin Smoak is next out the door.
Brito might not seem like much of a prospect. He was No. 23 on the Dodgers’ prospect list and his bat has been nothing to write home about. But the young infielder’s defence is said to be world class. He was signed for $2 million out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent by the Dodgers, but missed most of 2017 after breaking a leg, though he bounced back to have a strong 2018.
His offensive numbers are trending up and Toronto’s prospects at short are getting more exciting, with Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Bo Bichette, Richard Urena and now Brito in the mix. The scouting report says Brito has soft hands and a quick first step at short and a strong arm. Offensively, he is a switch hitter with “promising” bat speed. Over three minor-league seasons, Brito has combined to hit .259 with 32 doubles, six triples, 15 homers, and 104 RBIS in 148 games.
Right-handed pitcher Andrew Sopko may not be as highly touted as Brito, but the Jays like what he brings to the table.
The Missoula, Mont. native was the Dodgers’ seventh-round pick in 2015 out of Gonzaga. He’s had a bit of an up-and-down minor-league career, but did show signs of figuring things out in 2018.
He started last season with the advanced-a Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, where he went 3-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 12 starts. He was promoted to the Double-a Tulsa Drillers in June and posted a 3-1 record with a 3.88 ERA across 14 games. His fastball sits in the low-90s and touches 95 m.p.h. His primary off-speed pitch is a mid-70s, 12-6 curve ball. He also throws a change-up.