'I'm Just Excited For What's To Come,' Austin Martin Reflects on Up and Down Journey Back to Minnesota Twins

Austin Martin likely wouldn’t have drawn it up this way if he was given the chance. 

Martin’s professional career–which started in 2020–has included five injured-list stints, six rehab assignments and a few demotions. As a 26 year old, Martin–who was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2020 MLB Draft–has 238 career MLB at bats, a .261 batting average and a career .680 OPS. He’s been knocked down, he’s been discouraged. 

Yet, here he is with an opportunity to prove that he belongs after his Friday call up to the Minnesota Twins. The road hasn’t been that of the average former No. 5 overall pick in the MLB Draft, but it’s not over for the former Vanderbilt star. 

“I’m not ignorant to the fact that I’ve had a lot of bumps in my journey and on the road to where I’m at now,” Martin told Vandy on SI on Wednesday prior to his call up. “But, I think I just continue to have the mindset of ‘as long as I take care of what I take care of, everything else will take care of itself.’ I think that positive mindset helped me a lot. I’m just excited for what’s to come.” 

Martin’s past indicated to some that him walking into Progressive Field and shagging fly balls pregame before leading off and starting in center field for the Minnesota Twins–in a game that he’d eventually finish 3-for-5 in–was a thing of his past. 

To some, that was just possible for the old Martin that walked around injury free and with the composure that a top prospect often does. Friday night made clear that the 26-year old version of Martin can still provide something to a big-league club, even if his call up came as a result of the Twins’ mass exodus at the MLB Trade Deadline. 

Martin is older and has lost his high-ranking prospect status, but his injury history has given him a perspective that others haven’t had to develop. The former Vanderbilt standout has been required to do plenty of sitting around and thinking throughout his professional career while others are tied up in the day-to-day grind of looking to fulfill their dreams. As a result, he’s been required to learn about himself and how he needs to approach things in order to be successful. 

“I think all the adversity that I faced in pro ball has definitely sharpened me in a sense,” Martin said, “And has just given me some sort of mental freedom of just playing the game because you never know when it’s going to be your last day.” 

The Twins’ new center fielder was forthcoming in regards to the idea that he wasn’t where he wanted to be in his career prior to Friday’s call up, at times his speech was somber in a way that was jarring to see relative to Martin’s often upbeat nature at Vanderbilt. 

Martin was far from hopeless as he spoke, but he’s likely cognisant of the idea that he hasn’t yet fulfilled certain external expectations surrounding his career. He knows what he’s been robbed of throughout his professional career, too. 

“It’s kind of been the epitome of my career truthfully,” Martin said in regards to adversity. “With that being said I’m also used to it and I know how to handle it and how to keep pushing and moving forward.” 

When Martin has been discouraged, he often remembered a word of advice from Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin.

Perhaps in Martin’s college days–which included a national championship win and first-team All-American recognition for the former Vanderbilt star–Corbin’s nudge to the Jacksonville native to stay “even keeled” prevented him from getting too high. The veteran head coach likely knew that eventually his advice would prevent his star from getting too down in moments of adversity. 

Martin has always been aware of reality, but he’s appeared to make an effort not to be caught up enough in it to let it rattle him. If it does, Corbin believes that’s not a recipe for success. Over five years after his final game at Vanderbilt, Martin’s still chasing his major league dream with Corbin’s wisdom in the back of his head. 

“With battling so many injuries in my professional career, it’s helped me just stay level-headed and just not get too down on myself,” Martin said, “And just to continue to work hard and know that everything is gonna work out the way that it’s supposed to and everything is gonna turn out in my favor.”