Nathan Martorella has been called up to the Miami Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville after spending most of the season at Double-A Pensacola.
With 11 homers this season, the left-handed hitting first baseman has hit 10 or more homers in three consecutive minor league seasons.
The Salinas graduate and Cal alum will go into the final month of his season with 11 homers and 55 runs batted in, just three RBI off his season total from 2024.
Because Martorella has been in the minors for four seasons, the former San Diego Padres fifth round draft pick is eligible to be plucked by a Major League Baseball team as a Rule 5 Draft pick.
Martorella has surpassed last year’s walk total with 51 in 105 games, sporting a .302 on-base percentage. He has doubled 18 times.
The Herald’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2019, Martorella has homered and driven in three runs in 11 games for Jacksonville, with three walks and six runs scored.
Over four minor league seasons at four different levels, Martorella has hit 51 homers and driven in 215 runs, hitting .236.