Introduction
Nicholas Andres Martinez (born August 5, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers. He is of Cuban descent.
Amateur career
Martinez graduated from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, Florida, and enrolled at Fordham University. He is the 34th Fordham alumnus to make it to the Major League Baseball (MLB). He was 1-3 with a 5.33 ERA in 15 games, over two seasons for Fordham as a relief pitcher. He was mostly a second baseman, batting .295 with 4 HR, 66 RBI, 167 hits, and 22 stolen bases over three seasons and 148 games. In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He also played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League for the Vermont Mountaineers. He is the seventh Mountaineer to make it to the MLB.
Career
Texas Rangers
Martinez was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft, out of Fordham University.
Martinez was named the Rangers' fifth starter on March 26, 2014. In his first career start against the Tampa Bay Rays, Martinez went six innings, struck out three and allowed three earned runs on four hits. He received a no decision as the Rangers lost 5–4. After two straight starts against the Oakland Athletics, the Rangers got Matt Harrison back from the DL and moved Martinez to the bullpen. Martinez went 6.2 innings, struck out six and allowed only one earned run in four relief appearances. In a game against the Houston Astros, Harrison injured his lower back and had spinal fusion surgery. The Rangers then put Martinez back into the starting rotation.
In 2015 he had an ERA of 3.96 and shared the major league lead in hit batsmen, with 13.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
Upon reaching free agency and limited interest from MLB teams, Martinez signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) on January 6, 2018. According to reports, he will earn incentives based on innings pitched. In his first NPB season, Martinez went 10-11 with 93 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.51. On December 18, 2018, Martinez re-signed with the team to a one-year, $2.2 million deal.
On October 18, 2019, Martinez signed a 1-year extension to remain with the Fighters.