Black MiLB Players #23: 1B Ernesto Martínez Jr., Milwaukee Brewers
Haitian-Cuban Ernesto Martinez Jr. is a 6'6'' first baseman with an immense ceiling because of his rare five-tool skillset.
Background + Path to Professional Baseball
Ernesto Martínez Jr. is a 25-year-old Haitian-Cuban first baseman in the Milwaukee Brewers organization from Holguin, Cuba. He was identified as one of the best baseball players in his age group by age 13. He stood out on Cuba’s national teams for U14 and U15 International Tournaments. His father Ernesto Martínez Sr. was one of the most productive catchers in the Cuban National Series(CNS) during the 1990s and 2000s. Martínez Sr. later defected to France and dominated the country’s top professional baseball league. Martínez Jr. moved to France from Cuba at 15 years old before going to the Dominican Republic to train at Fernando Tatís Sr.’s baseball academy. The Brewers front office signed the younger Martínez during the 2017 J2 Signing Period when he was 17.
Since turning professional, Martínez Jr. has missed a substantial amount of time due to injury but has performed well when healthy. He went .284/.365/.466 across 110 games with Milwaukee’s Double-A affiliate during the 2024 season. He is on the Brewers’ Spring Training roster(currently batting .313/.389/.563) and will play at Triple-A if he does not break camp with the big league team. The 25-year-old has stood out on and off the field because of his electric personality. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Kreyol. Martínez Jr. has developed a reputation within the Brewers organization as a glue guy and a clubhouse leader.
Player Profile
Ernesto Martínez Jr. is a 6’6" first baseman with the long, lean frame of an NBA small forward. The only first baseman in professional baseball who surpasses him in raw athleticism is Tre’ Morgan. There are only a handful of active position players in MiLB at least 6’5" and equally agile as the Afro-Cuban first baseman across the entire defensive spectrum.
Hitting
Martínez Jr. stands in the left-handed batter’s box with a slightly open stance and his hands held perpendicular to his ear. He has a very long swing because of his size but compensates for this by generating above-average bat speed and showing good anticipation. He makes contact at an above-average rate and has an advanced approach. He hits the ball hard often but struggles to get it off the ground sometimes. He has worked painstakingly to improve at accruing extra-base hits by hitting more flyballs and line drives.
Fielding
Martínez Jr. is one of the best defensive first basemen in professional baseball. His long arms, smooth footwork, and sound instincts give him elite range. His ability to pick throws from the dirt is superb. He will hit a full split to complete a play for a successful out without hesitation. He displays an extremely high motor when tracking foul balls and potential bloop hits put in play by opposing hitters. He has a legit shot to be the second 1B in MLB history to win a Platinum Glove Award.
Baserunning
Martínez Jr.’s speed and baserunning acumen is rare for a player in his position group, especially at his height. He has a long history of accumulating high stolen base totals without getting caught frequently. If he gets on-base at a high enough clip in the majors, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him swipe 30+ bags multiple times and wind up with 100+ career stolen bases.
Conclusion
Ernesto Martínez Jr. is probably the most unique active prospect in Minor League Baseball. His glove, speed, and on-base skills give him a relatively safe floor to build on in addition to his immensely high ceiling if he develops better feel for lifting the ball. There is ample opportunity for Martínez Jr. to firmly establish himself on Milwaukee’s 25-man roster during the 2025 season with Rhys Hoskins on the wrong side of thirty and possibly at the start of his decline. Another team looking for an upgrade at the cold corner could trade for Martínez Jr. if his time in Milwaukee isn’t fruitful.