Below Deck: Martin hardly throw-in for Cole

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Jason Martin had stars in his eyes and at his feet when he received the phone call that would change his life back on Jan. 13.

That was the day the 22-year-old was out with his girlfriend touring the streets of Hollywood, near his Southern California home. It was somewhere between Gracie Allen and Renee Zellweger on the Walk of Fame that he was informed that the Houston Astros, the only organization he'd known — the one that drafted him in the eighth round in 2013 and a team that was coming off a World Series championship —was trading him to an organization that hasn't won a playoff series in nearly 40 years and has had just three winning seasons in a quarter-century.

"It really caught me by surprise," Martin was telling me the other day at Peoples Natural Gas Field, home of the Pirates AA affiliate Altoona Curve. "Obviously, throughout the season you hear a lot of talk about trades and I did hear my name get thrown around there, but for it to finally happen now was kind of a surprise."

He can laugh about it now, but Martin was definitely viewed as the "other guy" in the blockbuster trade that saw the Astros also ship his good buddy Joe Musgrove, along with Colin Moran and Michael Feliz to the Pirates in exchange for Gerrit Cole. Four for one.

Certainly, Martin was well aware of Cole, the person and the pitcher. They went to the same high school in nearby Orange County. Naturally, he immediately headed home to tell his parents the news. He talked to his agent, a few of his old Astros/new Pirates teammates and said his farewells to his friends in the Astros organization.  And that was that. He hasn't looked back since.

"Just another chapter in my career," he says. "Just working day in and day out and trying to work my way to the big leagues and help Pittsburgh win a World Series. Just excited that Pittsburgh wanted me in that trade." 

A World Series remains to be seen, but joining Musgrove, Moran and Feliz in Pittsburgh is a distinct possibility down the road. For now, he's honing his craft in Altoona for his first full season of AA, which is where he finished last season in Corpus Christi, Tex.

Martin is hitting .321 after going 2-for-4 against Reading on Thursday night. That is good for fourth in the Eastern League and his .905 OPS is seventh behind, among others, the sons of Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero and Craig Biggio. His seven home runs are second on the Curve and tied for third in the Pirates organization:

While he's satisfied with his offensive numbers, Martin says they simply mirror the development he feels he's made in his ascent through the minor-league ranks.

"A lot of it's maturing in general, being able to get those constant at-bats," he explained to me. "I feel the more at-bats you get, the more improvements you can have and more adjustments you can make, and being able to know your swing." 

A lot has been made about Martin's powerful left-handed swing with the high leg kick. But he insists he hasn't made any major adjustments to it. He says it's just having a better recognition of the strike zone and a feel for the pitches that he can do the most damage with. Martin stands just 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds but has good power — evidenced by his 17 home runs last season.

Altoona manager Michael Ryan says Martin is "special with the bat."

"For his size, sometimes you’re shocked at how far he goes into baseballs and how it comes off," Ryan was saying in his office. "He's got some real good leverage and really quick hands. And he's strong."

The power, Martin says, also comes from a better understanding of launch angle. That is something he picked up on in the Houston organization. The Astros have been at the forefront of the movement, which would help to explain how a 5-foot-6 Jose Altuve has hit 24 homers each of the last two seasons.

"I feel like I’m getting strong in my body," Martin said. "I’m not the tallest guy, but I feel like with this whole launch angle and working hard with everything, certain muscles in my legs (are getting stronger), and keeping working with that launch angle ... I’ve been able to project more power than my body says it should." 

Ryan says the Pirates knew they were getting a good hitter in Martin, but he's been a bit surprised with the outfielder's defensive prowess. Against the Fightin' Phils on Thursday, Martin made an outstanding running catch in center field. Though he can play all three outfield spots, including six starts in left for Altoona this season, he was drafted as a center fielder and that would seem to make the most sense with his size and speed.

"I'm pretty comfortable out there," Martin says.

He's been playing there primarily, especially after Bryan Reynolds, a center fielder acquired from San Francisco in the Andrew McCutchen trade, went down with a hand injury that required surgery and forced him to miss a few weeks earlier this season.

"The main thing that I’ve been working on is positioning with different hitters, learning their tendencies before the game and looking at their spray charts, and being able to adjust before the pitch is even made to where I'm in the area where they’re most likely going to hit the ball," Martin said. 

But he feels he could still be better in two areas to make him a more complete player: His throwing arm and stealing bases.

The right-handed throwing Martin has a good arm — but isn't going to be confused for Vlad Jr. — and he has five stolen bases, which matches the number of times he's been caught.

"I have speed, I do have the ability to steal bases," he said. "It’s just applying it to the game and being able to do these little things that polish me up to be an all-around great player."

While he seems happy with his time in Altoona, he might not be long for Blair County. A promotion to Class AAA Indianapolis is the next step and that could come this summer.

"I'd say at some point he’ll be going to AAA and see what the challenges at the next level are, and that could be good for his career," Ryan said.

As for Pittsburgh and reuniting with Musgrove, Moran and Feliz, the other three guys in the Cole trade?

"Not looking too far into the future," he says. "Just do my best and I feel the rest will take care of itself."

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A)

• Kevin Kramer batted .357 (10 for 28) with three home runs, one double, nine RBIs and six runs during the Indians' seven-game winning streak, which came to an end Sunday. He's tied a season-high five-game hitting streak and has scored exactly one run in each of the last five games. The former second-round pick has a .764 OPS with eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 55 games this season.

• Shortstop Kevin Newman, the Pirates' first-round draft pick in 2015, had 39 hits and a .361 average in the month of May, and he has eight hits in 24 at-bats in six games during June. Newman has also stolen a team-high three bases this month and has 13 this season, which ranks second in the International League.

• Jose Osuna, optioned to Triple-A by the Pirates on May 29, has hit safely in six straight games and eight of his last 10. He's batting .331 with 15 doubles, three home runs and 24 RBIs at Triple-A this season. He's struck out just 21 times in 33 games and leads the team in slugging (.529) and OPS (.910).

ALTOONA (Double-A)