Russell Martin (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Russell Martin |
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Martin with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: February 15, 1983 East York, Ontario, Canada |
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| debut | |||
| May 5, 2006, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2019, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .248 | ||
| Home runs | 191 | ||
| Runs batted in | 771 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2024 | ||
Russell Nathan Coltrane Jeanson Martin Jr. (born February 15, 1983) is a Canadian former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Toronto Blue Jays.
Russell Martin was a four-time MLB All-Star. This means he was chosen as one of the best players in the league multiple times. In 2007, he won two important awards: the Gold Glove Award for being an excellent defensive player, and the Silver Slugger Award for being a great hitter.
Martin became the main catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers right after he started playing in MLB in 2006. He played this role for almost five years. He was very good at both hitting and defending in his first three years. Later, he played for the Yankees, Pirates, and Blue Jays before returning to the Dodgers for his final season. He announced his retirement from baseball in May 2022.
Contents
Playing Baseball Professionally
Starting in the Minor Leagues (2002–2006)
Russell Martin was first picked by the Montreal Expos in the 2000 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign with them. He then went to college for two years. In 2002, the Los Angeles Dodgers chose him in the draft.
When he was first drafted, Martin played as a third baseman. He played his first professional season with the Gulf Coast Dodgers. After that season, he changed his position to catcher. He continued to play in the minor leagues, showing his skills in hitting and defense. By 2005, he was playing for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns and was chosen for their All-Star team. He started the 2006 season in Triple-A before moving up to the Major Leagues.
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2010)
Martin joined the Dodgers on May 5, 2006, because their starting catcher was injured. He quickly showed how good he was, getting two hits in his first game. A few days later, he hit his first major league home run.
On June 6, 2006, Martin and pitcher Éric Gagné made history. They became the first French Canadian catcher and pitcher pair to play together in the major leagues. Martin played so well that the Dodgers traded their other catcher, making Martin their full-time player.
He hit his first "walk-off" home run on August 13, 2006. This means his home run ended the game and won it for his team. On September 18, 2006, he was part of a rare event. He hit one of four home runs hit in a row by the Dodgers in the ninth inning to tie a game. This had not happened since 1964.
On April 21, 2007, Martin hit his first "grand slam." A grand slam is a home run hit when all three bases are loaded with runners, scoring four runs. In May 2007, he set a new Dodgers record for the most stolen bases by a catcher in a single season.
In July 2007, fans voted Martin to start in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He was the first Canadian-born catcher ever to start in this big game.
At the end of the 2007 season, he won both the National League Gold Glove Award and the Silver Slugger Award. These awards showed he was one of the best catchers in the league for both defense and hitting.
Martin played in his second All-Star game in 2008. He continued to be a key player for the Dodgers. In 2010, he had a hip injury that kept him from playing for the rest of the season. After this, the Dodgers decided not to offer him a new contract.
Playing for the New York Yankees (2011–2012)
In 2011, Russell Martin signed a contract with the New York Yankees. He became their main catcher. He was also chosen to be an All-Star for the American League that year.
On August 25, 2011, Martin was part of a special game. He, along with two teammates, hit three grand slams in one game. This was an MLB record! He played for the Yankees for two seasons, serving as their starting catcher.
Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2013–2014)
In 2012, Martin signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He became their everyday catcher. On June 8, 2013, he hit his 100th career home run.
A very memorable moment for Martin and the Pirates happened on October 1, 2013. In a big playoff game, he hit two solo home runs. His first home run came after the opposing pitcher seemed to get nervous because of the loud crowd. This home run helped the Pirates win the game, which was their first playoff victory in 21 years.
In April 2014, Martin was involved in a small fight during a game. He was suspended for two games because of it.
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays (2015–2018)
On November 18, 2014, Russell Martin signed a five-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. This was exciting for Canadian fans, as he was joining his home country's team.
In 2015, Martin caught for pitcher R. A. Dickey, who threw a special pitch called a "knuckleball." This pitch is very hard to catch. On April 19, 2015, Martin and pitcher Jeff Francis formed the first all-Canadian catcher-pitcher pair in Blue Jays history.
On June 2, Martin stole home base. This is a very rare play in baseball where a runner steals the final base to score a run. He had a great season in 2015, hitting a career-high 23 home runs. He was also a finalist for the Gold Glove award again.
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In 2017, Martin reached a big milestone. He became one of only 15 catchers in MLB history to record 10,000 "putouts." A putout is when a player records an out, often by catching a ball or tagging a runner. In 2018, he reached another milestone, becoming the 11th catcher to make 11,000 career putouts.
In the very last game of the 2018 season, Russell Martin actually managed the Blue Jays! It was a unique experience for him.
Returning to the Dodgers (2019)
On January 11, 2019, the Blue Jays traded Martin back to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent the 2019 season as a backup catcher for the team.
On March 30, 2019, Martin did something very unusual for a position player: he pitched in a game! He pitched the ninth inning and got three batters out in a row. This was a rare event, as position players usually only pitch in games that are very one-sided. He became the first position player since 1963 to pitch and finish the ninth inning of a game his team won. He also became the first position player since 1917 to pitch in a game where his team shut out the other team.
The 2019 season was his last in the major leagues. He played in 83 games, hitting six home runs. Russell Martin announced his retirement from baseball on May 28, 2022.
Playing for Canada
Russell Martin proudly played for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic several times. He first played in the tournament in 2009.
He was selected to play for Team Canada again in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. This time, he was going to play shortstop instead of catcher. However, he was not able to play due to some insurance issues related to a knee surgery he had.
About Russell Martin's Life
Russell Martin was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He spent his early childhood in Montreal and Chelsea, Quebec. Later, after he became a successful baseball player, a baseball field in Chelsea was fixed up and named after him. Besides baseball, he also played hockey when he was young.
Martin's parents separated when he was two years old. His father, Russell Martin Sr., is Black Canadian, and his mother, Suzanne Jeanson, is Franco-Manitoban. His full name is Russell Nathan Coltrane Jeanson Martin Jr. His middle name, Coltrane, honors the famous musician John Coltrane, whom his father admired. His father used to play the saxophone in Montreal subway stations to help pay for Russell's baseball training.
When Russell was nine, his mother remarried and moved to Paris, France. For a year, Russell split his time living with his mother in Paris and his father in Montreal. In 2009, he changed the name on his jersey to "J. Martin" to honor his mother's family name, Jeanson.
More to Explore
- List of Canadian sports personalities
- List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a catcher leaders
- Los Angeles Dodgers award winners and league leaders
See also
In Spanish: Russell Martin para niños
