Martinez smashes home runs Nos. 18 and 19
This browser does not support the video element.
Of the five tools, Orelvis Martinez has an abundance of power.
MLB Pipeline's No. 37 overall prospect smashed two homers in Double-A New Hampshire's 11-6 win over Hartford.
The fireworks have come and gone, but the 20-year-old continued to put on a show for the fans. A fifth-inning solo homer to left field marked the fifth run of the game for the Fisher Cats, and a two-run blast to left in the eighth gave the team its final runs of the contest. Martinez's second jack marked his 19th of the season; he now ranks third in the Eastern League behind Erie's Kerry Carpenter (22), who has since been promoted to Triple-A, and Richmond's Sean Roby (21). This was also his first multihomer game of the season and the fifth of his professional career.
"He could've even had three home runs, there was one very close that just went foul in his first at-bat," New Hampshire manager Cesar Martin said.
This browser does not support the video element.
Martinez had a rough start to the 2022 campaign, batting just .188 in the month of April, but he's putting the work in to improve those numbers.
"He's been working more with the hitting coach, pretty close," Martin said. "I think his approach is just getting better. Just having that approach gives him a better idea and allows him to swing at better pitches, so on ones that he barrels the ball, they're gonna go out."
Martinez's high leg kick has been the main focus of his adjustments. He's worked on keeping his leg kick consistent to allow him more control with his swing and help him see pitches better and take more pitches out of the zone while keeping his bat through the zone longer on pitches that he does hack at.
There is high praise for Martinez throughout the Minors, and his potential is just being tapped into with his increased work ethic.
"He's always been a good hitter with great hands to hit," Martin said. "He has a lot of potential. When he hits the ball, the sound is different. He has the potential to hit 30 or more [homers] in the big leagues. He will be special because of his bat and his speed. He's so special."