Leonys Martín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leonys Martín |
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Martín with the Chiba Lotte Marines
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| Sultanes de Monterrey – No. 12 | |||
| Center fielder | |||
| Born: March 6, 1988 Corralillo, Villa Clara, Cuba |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 2, 2011, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| NPB: July 26, 2019, for the Chiba Lotte Marines | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) |
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| Batting average | .244 | ||
| Home runs | 58 | ||
| Runs batted in | 228 | ||
| Stolen bases | 126 | ||
| NPB statistics (through 2022 season) |
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| Batting average | .220 | ||
| Home runs | 75 | ||
| Runs batted in | 204 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Leonys Martín Tápanes (born March 6, 1988), also known as "Ikadi", is a professional baseball player from Cuba and America. He plays as a center fielder for the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League.
Martín first signed with the Texas Rangers in 2011 and made his debut in Major League Baseball (MLB) that same year. He has played for several MLB teams, including the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and Cleveland Indians. He also played in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Born in Cuba, he played for a local team called Villa Clara and for the Cuban national baseball team. He even played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. While in Taiwan for a baseball championship in 2010, Martín left Cuba to become a free agent in Major League Baseball.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Martín was born in Villa Clara Province in Cuba. His parents named him after the famous singer, Lionel Richie. His dad worked for a fishing company, and his mom took care of Leonys and his four siblings.
Martín's father taught him how to play baseball. When he was younger, Martín played different positions like shortstop, second base, and third base. Later, he became a skilled center fielder.
Playing Baseball in Cuba
When Martín was 17, he joined the Villa Clara team in the Cuban National Series, which is Cuba's top baseball league. He also played for the Cuban national baseball team.
In the 2009–2010 season, Martín had a batting average of .326. He hit 10 home runs and had 48 runs batted in (RBI). Over five seasons with Villa Clara, his batting average was .314.
Martín played for the Cuban national team in several international events. He was part of the team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he was the youngest player. He also played in the 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship.
During the 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship, Martín decided to leave Cuba. He traveled to Japan and then to Mexico. There, he was able to become a free agent, which meant he could sign with any team in Major League Baseball.
Major League Baseball Career
Texas Rangers Years
On May 4, 2011, Martín signed a big five-year contract with the Texas Rangers. He then joined the Rangers' minor league teams, first the Frisco RoughRiders and then the Round Rock Express.
Martín played very well in the minor leagues. Because of his strong performance, the Rangers called him up to the major leagues on August 30, 2011. He made his MLB debut on September 2, getting his first hit against the Boston Red Sox.
In 2012, Martín started the season in the minor leagues again. But after hitting .344 with five home runs in 31 games, he was called back up to the Rangers.
In 2013, Martín became the starting center fielder for the Rangers on Opening Day. He hit his first MLB home run on April 21. He also had his first game with two home runs on June 25. That season, Martín hit .260 and stole a career-high 36 bases.
He played a full season in 2014, hitting .274 and stealing 31 bases in 155 games. In 2015, he had an injury and played only 95 games, with his batting average dropping to .219.
Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs
After the 2015 season, the Rangers traded Martín to the Seattle Mariners. In 2016, he hit a career-high 15 home runs.
In 2017, the Mariners moved Martín to their Triple-A team. Later that year, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. Between both teams in 2017, he hit .172. Martín was on the Cubs' playoff roster because of his speed and good defense.
Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians
On December 5, 2017, Martín signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. He hit his first career grand slam on April 19, 2018. He also hit a home run in both games of a doubleheader on April 25. Martín had two hamstring injuries that season.
On July 31, 2018, Martín was traded to the Cleveland Indians. A few days later, he became very sick with a serious bacterial infection. He had to stay in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. The Indians announced that he would not play for the rest of 2018 to recover.
Martín signed a new contract with the Indians for the 2019 season. However, he was released by the team on June 27, 2019.
Playing Baseball in Japan
Chiba Lotte Marines
On July 14, 2019, Martín signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. In 52 games, he hit 14 home runs and had 39 RBI.
He signed an extension to stay with the Marines. In 2020, Martín played in 104 games, hitting 25 home runs and having 65 RBI. He signed another two-year extension after the 2020 season.
In 2021, he played in 116 games, hitting 27 home runs and 75 RBI. In 2022, Martín played in 68 games, hitting 9 home runs and 25 RBI.
Recent Career
Seattle Mariners (Second Time)
On February 9, 2023, Martín signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners again. He played in spring training but was released on March 23.
Mexican League Teams
On January 16, 2024, Martín signed with the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the Mexican League. In 82 games, he hit .305 with 29 home runs and 74 RBI.
He continued to play for the Conspiradores in 2025. On May 30, 2025, Martín was traded to the Sultanes de Monterrey, another team in the Mexican League.
Personal Life
Martín's parents are divorced. His mother, brother, and three sisters live in Cuba. His father lives in Miami, Florida.
On June 25, 2018, Leonys Martín became a citizen of the United States.
See Also
- List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
Images for kids
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Martín with the Cleveland Indians in 2019
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