Mike Martin Jr.
From BR Bullpen
Mike D. Martin
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.
- Schools Florida State University, Manatee Community College
- High School Maclay High School
- Born February 19, 1973
Mike Martin Jr. is the son of Mike Martin. Like his father, he played three years in the minors before going into the college coaching ranks.
After high school, Mike was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the 34th round of the 1992 amateur draft. They picked him in the 50th round of the 1993 amateur draft out of junior college. Martin was the primary catcher for his father's 15th-ranked Florida State University team in 1993, hitting .307/?/.434. When FSU moved up to #7 in 1994, Martin batted .288/?/.432. He was taken by the Mariners in the 17th round of the 1994 amateur draft, but as they had taken Jason Varitek in the 1st round, Martin returned to college. For the third time, Seattle had drafted him without signing him.
FSU was up to #3 in 1995 and the coach's son hit .221/?/.420 in an off-year for contact. The San Diego Padres took him in the 9th round of the 1995 amateur draft and signed him.
Martin debuted professionally with the Clinton Lumber Kings but hit just .189/~.318/.213 in 51 games as the club's most-used catcher. Returning to the same team and role in 1996, Mike fared even worse, putting up a batting line of .175/~.277/.223 in 77 contests.
Martin finally played in the Mariners chain in 1997, hitting .236/~.378/.309 in 34 games for the Lancaster Jethawks.
Mike then became an assistant coach at his alma mater.
Sources: 1993-1998 Baseball Almanacs, FSU website
