From the Field: Anthony Martinez, 1b, UC Irvine Baseball
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UC Irvine, the #20 team in the country, swept Hawaii this past weekend here in Honolulu. All three games were offensive-oriented affairs, and the Rainbow Warriors more than held their own. But it’s tough to beat any team with a line-up like the Anteaters, with four guys with OBP north of .420. One of those players is infielder Anthony Martinez, who did as much as anyone to assure that UCI went home with a sweep.
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I was excited to see Anthony Martinez play. In 2023, as a freshman, he had an insanely good season, hitting .393 with a .471 OBP and 11 HR. He ended the season with a pile of awards, including being named a freshman All-American by every single major college outlet and selected as the Big West Field Player of the Year.
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He didn’t disappoint. Over the weekend he went 6-for-13 with eight RBI and hit two home runs in the series’ first game. One the season he is hitting .368 with 4 HR and a .469 OBP. If you’re an opposing team hoping for a sophomore slump, he isn’t that guy.
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I was happy to get his autograph at the end of the first game–there is no way he won’t get drafted the second he is eligible. But before that happens, it’ll be fun watching him wreck college pitching everywhere he goes.