How a third baseman became an MLB All-Star catcher
In short: Russell Martin wasn't always behind the plate. Originally drafted as a third baseman, the Canadian athlete underwent a position conversion in the minor leagues before ascending to Major League Baseball. His journey saw him evolve from a late-round draft pick into a four-time All-Star and a record-breaking offensive force.
Martin's professional trajectory was marked by significant versatility and sudden shifts in fortune. After being drafted in the 35th round by the Montreal Expos in 2000, he eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002 as a third baseman. However, an offseason conversion to catcher set the stage for his MLB debut in 2006, where he immediately became the Dodgers' everyday catcher. He initially attended Chipola College for two years before being selected in the 17th round by the Dodgers. During his early minor league years, he played for teams like the Ogden Raptors and the Jacksonville Suns.
His peak years saw remarkable accolades. In 2007, Martin achieved the rare feat of winning both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. That same year, he became the first Canadian-born catcher to start an All-Star Game, leading the voting by a massive margin of 296,948 votes over Paul Lo Duca. With 12 steals, he established a new Dodgers record for a catcher in one season, beating John Roseboro's 1962 total. His defensive prowess was further highlighted when he became the 15th catcher to reach 10,000 career putouts. He also achieved the milestone of 11,000 putouts in 2018.
The latter half of his career was defined by high-stakes contracts and historic moments. In 2014, he signed a five-year, $82 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. His career included odd statistics, like pitching the ninth inning during a 2019 Dodgers win—the first position player to finish a winning ninth since 1963, and the first to record a 1-2-3 ninth in a victory since at least 1925. During his time with the Yankees, he was part of a rare group that hit three grand slams in a single game. He also notably pitched in a shutout victory in 2019, a feat not seen since 1917.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Russell Martin (baseball)
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