Twins’ Austin Martin plays his way into bigger opportunity

TL;DR

Austin Martin has transitioned from a platoon role to a regular starter for the Twins due to his impressive early-season performance. He is currently hitting .333 with a .454 on-base percentage, making a strong case for daily play.

Key points

Austin Martin started the season in a platoon role.
He has played well against left-handed pitchers.
Martin's batting average is .333 with a .454 on-base percentage.
Matt Wallner was sent to Triple-A to allow Martin more playing time.
Manager Derek Shelton supports Martin's increased role.

Austin MartinMinnesota TwinsMilwaukee BrewersMatt Wallner

Austin Martin knew coming into this year that he would be in a platoon role, used primarily in left field matched up against lefties. Fortunate for him, the Twins faced lefty after lefty after lefty in April, giving him the chance, he said, to find his rhythm and confidence in the box early.

Less than two months into the season, Martin has played himself out of a platoon role, with his early-season success being rewarded with more regular playing time.

When Matt Wallner was sent back to Triple-A on Thursday, part of it was to get the slumping right fielder back on track. Another part of it, manager Derek Shelton said, was that Martin deserves the chance to play every day.

Hard to argue with that.

Martin entered Friday’s series opener with the Milwaukee Brewers hitting .333 with a .454 on-base percentage. If qualified, those numbers would be fourth and first, respectively, among all major leaguers.

“He’s just having really good, consistent at-bats,” Shelton said. “I think you’d be hard-pressed to say that beside maybe (Byron Buxton) and (Ryan) Jeffers, he’s not our best at-bat every night. And you put yourself in a situation where you deserve the opportunity to play every day, and he has done that.”

Last year, Martin was the last position player cut in spring training. He got hurt just days into the season at Triple-A, injuring his hamstring. Upon his return, he reinjured his hamstring immediately.

He returned to the Saints in late June and about a month later, was called up at the beginning of August after the Twins had traded away about 40% of their major league roster. In the two months that followed, as the Twins played out the rest of a lost season, Martin was one of the bright spots, slashing .282/.374/.365.

His start to this season has been even better.

“Something that I’ve always said and stuck with is, I just need an opportunity,” Martin said. “(I) feel like I’ve played and kind of earned that a little bit. So at this point, it’s not really anything more that I need to do. It’s more so just continuing to be myself and continue to be a professional with how I go about my business.”

And now, he’s getting an even greater opportunity. While Martin might still play some left and center, he’ll primarily be manning right field for the foreseeable future.