Nationals Sign Recent No. 2 Blue Jays Prospect
He was the No. 2 prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system just last year, after being Toronto’s biggest international signing in 2018. But a number of factors, not the least of which being an 80-game suspension last year for PED use, led to the Jays designating Orelvis Martinez for assignment earlier this month.
The Washington Nationals are going to take a shot to see if the power-packed infielder can recover his lost prospect pedigree.
The 23-year-old was a Top 100 prospect in all of baseball in 2024, and led all minor leaguers with 86 home runs from 2021 through 2023. He was sitting on 17 homers with an .869 OPS in 74 games at Triple-A in 2024, before earning his first call-up to the majors with Toronto. Things were looking up for the elite prospect.
He played just one game in The Show, however, in June of '24, going 1-for-3. Just two days later, he was suspended by MLB for the rest of the season after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance Clomiphene.
Since coming back this year, the Dominican 2B/3B batted just .176 with a .636 OPS with Triple-A Buffalo in 99 games, with only 13 home runs.
The Nats hope they can get Martinez turned around with a full year in their system in 2026.
Photo: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
