Jason Martin makes MLB debut, singles as Pirates leadoff hitter Saturday

The Pittsburgh Pirates wasted little time giving Jason Martin his first taste of Major League Baseball.

“First hitter of the game for us,” manager Clint Hurdle said with a smile Saturday morning, about three hours prior to Martin’s MLB debut began as the Pirates’ left fielder and leadoff hitter against the Cincinnati Reds.

Martin made an immediate impact, singling off Tanner Roark, stealing second and scoring on a Josh Bell two-out double in the first inning.

The youngest player on the Pirates’ active roster at 23, Martin was recalled Friday before he even appeared in a game for Triple-A Indianapolis this season. Part of the return from the Houston Astros in the Gerrit Cole trade early last year, Martin hit .274 with 13 home runs in 127 games between Double-A Altoona and Indianapolis last year.

His first Major League knock!

?OK, JMart, we see ya!#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/MsfhYkDeUV

— Pirates (@Pirates) April 6, 2019

With three of the Pirates’ top four outfielders on the injured list (Gregory Polanco, Lonnie Chisenhall, Corey Dickerson), Martin was an unexpected reinforcement this early in the season. But after the Pirates had started JB Shuck, Pablo Reyes and even infielder Colin Moran in the outfield over the first six games of the season, he was needed.

“I thought he’d be a candidate,” Hurdle said, “and (I hope he) blacks out any anxiety or any excitement he might have and just play ball.”

Martin is the Pirates 10th-rated prospect by MLB Pipeline.

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