Louie Martinez, from Virgin Islands to Austin to pros

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Louie Martinez 1991 Auburn Astros baseball card

Huston-Tillotson head coach Alvin Moore assessed his team in March 1990 to The Austin American-Statesman. He settled on one player, Juan Martinez, as having the best chance of going pro.

Martinez had a fastball clocked at 91 mph the previous year - and he even had a 4.0 grade point average, More told The American-Statesman.

Moore turned out to be correct in his assessment, at least for Martinez. He did soon turn pro. His career, though, just two seasons. He played both at short-season.

Martinez' career began that year in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 20th round of the draft out of Huston-Tillotson in Austin. His hometown is listed as St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Martinez was also credited as Luis Martinez, Louie Martinez and by his listed full name Juan Luis Martinez.

Martinez, however, moved to Austin and enrolled at Huston-Tillotson due to limited opportunities in the Virgin Islands. Others from the islands also did the same, becoming teammates. Martinez had considered joining the Air Force, The American-Statesman wrote.

At Huston-Tillotson, Martinez, credited as Louie, threw a complete game in a April 1988 3-2 win, giving up six hits. 

Martinez started with the Astros at short-season Auburn. His first season, however, was limited to a single game.

In that game, in June, his team was down big. Martinez slowed, but couldn't stop them.

Martinez went 1.2 innings, giving up a single hit. But he also gave up two walks and two runs, one of them earned.

Martinez then returned to Auburn for 1991.  He got into 13 games that year, all in relief. He went 2-2, with a 6.75 ERA to end his career.

Louie Martinez 1991 Auburn Astros baseball card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,539
Made the Majors:1,434-31.6%
Never Made Majors:3,105-68.4%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:582
10+ Seasons in the Minors:359

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