8 Blue Jays prospects that will make their MLB debuts in 2024

Orelvis Martinez (MLB Pipeline #2, JaysProspectus #3)

Martinez is a 22-year-old right-handed hitting infielder who spent his year at Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo. He has been a closely watched prospect in the Blue Jays system for years due to his home run power. He has hit 28+ home runs in three straight seasons and in 2023 his contact skills and plate discipline took a step forward. He started the year at Double-A and struggled mightily in April, slashing just .089/.159/.250 which was good for a 6 wRC+. From there, Martinez looked like a different player and slashed .265/.364/.531 across Double-A and Triple-A, a 129 wRC+ mark.

Martinez's ability to make high quality contact in the air has never been in question, his raw power is above-average and his feel for accessing it in games is elite. It was most impressive how he cut his strikeout rate and raised his walk rate by significant margins. He could always hit fastballs but he improved his swing and miss against soft stuff and benefited from an altered two-strike approach in which he changed his mechanics to solely focus on making contact knowing the power will be there. Put in combination with his improved plate discipline, Martinez's long-term hitting outlook has improved. He's an extreme flyball hitter who will likely never be a player who hits for a high batting average but he does not need to be if he can continue to manage strikeouts, draw walks, and access his home run power.

Martinez is still quite raw offensively and has a ways to go on defense so it's unlikely that he's an option for the 2024 Opening Day roster. As he continues to polish up his offensive game and finds a defensive home presumably at second or third base, it's expected that he'll earn a major league look sometime in the summer.