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The New York Yankees are always on the lookout for reinforcements and one outfielder might be available on the free agent market soon after being designated for assignment by the Houston Astros. It wasn’t long ago that Fernando Martinez was one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Now, his future lies in limbo. Martinez, 24, is still young enough to capitalize on some of the talent that saw ranked in the top 25 prospects in all of baseball in 2007 and 2008 and in the top 100 in 2009 and 2010.
Martinez is a left-handed hitter, something the Yankees don’t necessarily need. They already have Brennan Boesch, Ichiro Suzuki and Brett Gardner that hit from the left side and are expecting another left-handed hitter, Curtis Granderson, back from injury very soon. However, adding Martinez wouldn’t be to bolster their Major League roster, at least not yet. This would be a move for the future, a move to add some depth to an organization that is going to need it as they try to get under the $189 million luxury tax.
It is true that Martinez has not shown anything at the Major League level hitting .206/.269/.362 in 99 games. But, at 24 years-old he could still very well translate the talent that made him one of the top prospects in baseball into actual production. Is it likely? Probably not. The Yankees don’t have anything to lose if they can sign him to a minor league deal. Minor league deals cost nothing. They are low-risk moves that can sometimes pay big dividends. It isn’t often that a player like Martinez, still just 24-years-old, is potentially available.
If Martinez becomes a free agent soon the Yankees should pounce on him. Right now they are carrying outfield depth in the minors like Melky Mesa who has struck out in his last seven at-bats and has 52 strikeouts in 113 at-bats this season. Why not add a player like Martinez who is actually two years younger than Mesa? There is no harm in signing him, seeing what he has in a full season of Triple-A ball and decide whether or not he is worth the 40-man roster spot next season. This is one move the Yankees should make.
