Edgar Martínez
Edgar Martínez (born January 2, 1963), nicknamed "Gar" and "Papi", is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a designated hitter and third baseman for the Seattle Mariners from 1987 through 2004. He served as the Mariners' hitting coach from 2015 to 2018, and has since become a hitting advisor for them.
| Edgar Martínez | |
|---|---|
Martínez with the Seattle Mariners in 1997 | |
| Designated hitter / Third baseman | |
| Born: January 2, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 12, 1987, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 2004, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .312 |
| Hits | 2,247 |
| Home runs | 309 |
| Runs batted in | 1,261 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Member of the National | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2019 |
| Vote | 85.4% (tenth ballot) |
Martínez grew up in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Not highly regarded as a prospect, he signed with the Mariners as a free agent in 1982, and was given a small signing bonus. He made his major league debut in 1987, but did not establish himself as a full-time player until 1990, at age 27. In the 1995 American League Division Series, he hit "The Double", which won the series and increased public support for Mariners baseball as they attempted to fund a new stadium. He continued to play until 2004, when injuries forced him to retire.
Martínez was a seven-time MLB All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, and two-time batting champion. He is one of 18 MLB players to record a batting average of .300, an on-base percentage of .400, and a slugging percentage of .500 in 5,000 or more plate appearances. The Mariners retired his uniform number 11 and inducted him into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame. Martínez was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.