The Rangers announced on Friday that they have dealt outfielder J.P. Martinez to the Braves in exchange for minor league right-hander Tyler Owen. Texas needed to clear a space on its 40-man roster in order to formalize yesterday’s rumored signing of David Robertson, and the 27-year-old Martinez’s trade appears to smooth the way for that deal to become official. Robertson has his physical in Texas on Friday.
Martinez made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2023, appearing in 17 games and tallying 44 plate appearances late in the season. He hit .225/.250/.325 with a homer, a double and an unsightly 16 strikeouts (36.4%) during that cup of coffee. His output in 77 Triple-A games (353 plate appearances) was far more encouraging. The lefty-swinging Martinez slashed .298/.418/.543 with 14 long balls, 21 doubles, four triples and a hefty 38 stolen bases in 42 attempts. The small-sample strikeout woes that plagued him in the majors weren’t present in Triple-A; he walked at a 15.6% clip in Round Rock and fanned at a much more manageable 22.9% rate.
Jarred Kelenic is in left field, Michael Harris II is in center, and Ronald Acuna Jr., the reigning National League MVP, is in right. Martinez could fight with Forrest Wall and non-roster veteran Jordan Luplow for a bench position to start the season. Martinez (two) and Wall (three) both have minor league option years remaining, thus they might be sent down without first being placed on waivers. Luplow is not on the 40-man roster and will need to earn a spot this spring.
The Rangers will acquire a 23-year-old righty who was the Braves’ 13th-round pick in the 2019 draft. Owens spent the 2023 season between High-A and Double-A, pitching to a 3.03 ERA in 65 1/3 innings split between the bullpen and rotation. He struck out 23.4% of his opponents while walking 7.7%, though both his strikeout and walk rate declined as he advanced from High-A to Double-A.
Owens, listed at 5’10” and 185 pounds, is undersized, but his performance in 2023 increased his prospect ranking. Baseball America placed him 22nd among Braves prospects this offseason, citing a strong fastball that reaches 98 mph and befuddles batters due in part to
