Ariel Martínez Marrero (born May 28, 1996) is a Cuban professional baseball catcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Chunichi Dragons and the Cocodrilos de Matanzas in the Cuban National Series.
| Ariel Martínez | |
|---|---|
 Martinez with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2023 | |
| Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters – No. 2 | |
| Catcher / Left Fielder | |
| Born: May 28, 1996 Matanzas, Cuba | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| NPB debut | |
| July 3, 2020, for the Chunichi Dragons | |
| NPB statistics (through October 12, 2024) | |
| Batting average | .252 |
| Home runs | 40 |
| Runs batted in | 167 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Professional career
editChunichi Dragons
edit
On March 14, 2018, Martínez signed with the Chunichi Dragons on a developmental contract.[2] He spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons with Chunichi's farm team. On July 1, 2020, Martinez was given a full-time rostered deal and a new shirt number, 57.[3] Martínez notched 5 hits in 18 plate appearances for Chunichi in 2020.[4] The Cuban catcher Ariel Martinez shone again on Wednesday in Japanese baseball, when he hit a homer that led to the victory of the Chunichi Dragons over the Yakult Swallows. Playing left field, the versatile Martinez went 2-3, with a run scored and a walk, to leave his average at .333, and get the only run of the game, which ended 1-0 in favor of his team.[5] He became a free agent following the 2022 season.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
editOn December 21, 2022, Martinez signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.[6]
Personal life
editLike most of the Cuban children from his generation, Ariel Martínez admires legendary Cuban catcher Ariel Pestano. One catcher that he likes to study and emulate his game off of is Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Pérez. He tries to watch film of him often and he definitely enjoys catching plenty of Kansas City Royals games on television when he can.[7]
References
edit- ^ https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/732829
- ^ "【中日】イケメン助っ人捕手のＡ・マルティネス、ニックネームは「田舎者」" (in Japanese). March 14, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ "中日アリエル・マルティネス支配下契約へ キューバ出身24歳捕手「ドラゴンズに恩返しを」：中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ" [Chunichi's Ariel Martinez given full time-deal. The 24 y/o Cuban catcher says "I want to give back to the Dragons"]. 中日スポーツ・東京中日スポーツ (in Japanese). Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ "Ariel Martínez Cuban, Independent & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History".
- ^ "Cuban Martinez shines again in Japanese baseball - Prensa Latina". May 11, 2022.
- ^ "Ariel "firma" con Luchadores y con el Clásico Mundial de Beisbol".
- ^ "NPB: Ariel Martínez, the next great Cuban catcher". June 26, 2020.
External links
edit- Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors), NPB
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