2009 Profile: Victor Martinez
What a difference a year can make. Victor Martinez, almost unanimously the first catcher drafted last year, has slipped a lot due to a year in which he missed much of the season with a torn hamstring and an elbow surgery. Yes, that’s a lot of DL time. Ouch. Incredibly, he came back to play with one month left, and showed that he can still hit, posting a .288/.358/.475 line in 67 PA in September.
Yes, Kelly Shoppach figures to see most of the playing time at catcher, but Martinez will get his at-bats at 1B or DH as well, so don’t worry. I have Martinez projected for .304-71-16-90-0 this season, though some others are more bullish on him.
That performance would rank him 2nd among catchers (just barely ahead of Brian McCann), and 179th overall. So don’t be afraid to draft V-Mart if he’s available in the middle rounds.
