Mechanical tweak in tow, this prospect standing out early 

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Angel Martínez made one small adjustment this offseason that is making a big difference in his pursuit of the Majors.

After a brief stop in the Dominican Republic to play winter ball with Estrellas Orientales, Martínez, the Guardians' No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, returned to Goodyear to reinvent himself with the coaching staff. They decided to adjust his batting stance by opening it up and elevating his arms higher. The 22-year-old said the new approach allows him to recognize pitches quicker and maximize his power. So far, the change is paying off.

Martínez, the son of former Major League catcher and current Royals Minor League coach Sandy Martínez, is 8-for-14 with two doubles, two homers, and five RBIs in seven Cactus League games. In Sunday’s 5-3 split-squad loss to the Cubs in Mesa, he crushed a double to left-center field that was inches away from being a home run, raising his batting average to .571 and OPS to 1.706.

His play this spring has caught the attention of Guardians manager Stephen Vogt.

“Angel is having a good camp,” Vogt said. “His at-bats have been really good. He is playing some good defense and is running the bases well. I've been really impressed with Angel so far. It's been a lot of fun to watch him.”

Martínez needs as many of those performances as possible heading into Opening Day. Gabriel Arias and Bryan Rocchio, a Top 100 prospect per MLB Pipeline, are the frontrunners to fill the shortstop void left after Amed Rosario was traded to the Dodgers at the Trade Deadline last season.

In 2023, the switch-hitting infielder led the Guardians' system with 90 singles and batted .251 with 42 extra-base hits and 79 RBIs in 136 games for Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. He also hit 14 home runs, being named a Guardians 2023 Organization All-Star at third base.

Martínez isn’t the only youngster trying to get on the Major League radar.

Juan Brito, Cleveland’s No. 6 prospect who was acquired for Nolan Jones, had a .811 OPS across three levels in 2023. José Tena, Cleveland's No. 15 prospect, made his debut in '23 after posting a .777 OPS with eight homers and 16 steals across two levels.

Martínez hasn’t received his call to the Majors yet, but he isn’t letting that affect his performance.

“I compete for myself,” Martínez said in Spanish. “When I come out to the field, I want to be the best version of myself. Our staff manages the roster decisions, but I control what I can. I’m focusing on getting better so when the team needs me, I’ll be ready.”

Martínez, who signed with the Guardians in 2018, is familiar with what’s expected to play in Cleveland. He’s seen different international prospects graduate from the Guardians' farm system and contribute to the team. Martínez looks up to José Ramírez’s journey as a source of motivation.

“I’m always paying attention to what he is doing,” Martínez said. “To me, he is the best third baseman in the MLB. I love the way he plays baseball. He is never afraid to fail. Sometimes younger players like myself are afraid of failure, but the way he plays is amazing. It’s always great studying him and him being so receptive to giving us advice.”

The competition to reach the Majors is fierce, even among those who Martínez considers close friends. Still, he makes sure to remember the big picture.

“We always find a way to have fun,” Martínez said. “If we aren’t having fun, we can’t win a game. We’re doing that here in Spring Training. We have a tremendous group of players here and plenty of leaders to help us. We’re a really good team and we’re going to shock a lot of people this year, especially with Vogt as our manager.

“He’s like one of us,” Martínez continued. “He gives us the confidence that we need as players. We can walk into his office, talk to him, and feel good knowing that Vogt has our back. He played this sport for long and has such a high baseball IQ. I’m glad he is here. In the little time I’ve been around, he has helped me improve.”