As Orelvis Martinez enters his fifth Spring Training with the Blue Jays, the stakes are slightly higher this time. Entering his age 23 season, he seems poised to make a mark on the Blue Jays team at some point this year, with the chance for that to happen sooner rather than later.

Martinez slashed .267/.346/.523 with 17 home runs in 74 games for triple-A Buffalo last year, as his 16.53 AB/HR rate would have ranked sixth in the International League had he accrued enough at-bats to qualify. After getting the call to Toronto, he played just one game in the big leagues before getting suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He returned in September and picked up where he left off, producing a .882 OPS in 46 at-bats with Buffalo to finish out the season.

The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native has long been lauded as one of the team’s top prospects, but it remains to be seen how much of his 2024 breakout can be repeated moving forward, especially after the suspension. If early Spring Training action is any indication, Martinez’s power looks like it will continue to be a problem for opposing pitchers in 2025:

It’s no secret that the Blue Jays struggled to hit for power last season. Their 156 team home runs ranked 26th in the majors, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. being the only hitter to hit over 30 home runs in a season over the last three years. Adding Anthony Santander will certainly help, but the team may still need another source of power to complement the lineup.

After being signed as a shortstop, the Blue Jays have employed Martinez at third base as well as second base more recently. He struggled at the keystone with Buffalo in 2024, recording 12 errors in just 38 games. He has a plus arm, but his range is probably below average, especially for a middle infielder. His best position is likely third base, but that may be a tougher route to crack the team’s starting nine (although the same can be said for second base in some regards).

Few question the fact that the five foot eleven, 200-pounder can hit, making it a possibility that he wins the Blue Jays’ DH job this spring. Depending on how things shake out in the outfield, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Anthony Santander earn reps as the designated hitter this season as well. This of course depends on the health of Dalton Varsho, as well as the possible emergence of Joey Loperfido into a major league starter. Varsho is expected to start the season on the injured list, making it more likely that Santander will play in the outfield, leaving the DH spot open.

Will Wagner is certainly a name to watch that could also emerge as a possible designated hitter for the Jays. Both he and Martinez have potent bats in their ways but may lack a true fit defensively. Given his prospect pedigree (he was recently ranked as the Blue Jays’ number three ranked prospect heading into the year), it would appear that the Dominican infielder may have the upper hand if he were to continue to show out this spring.

For a team that swung and missed at some big names this winter, banking on the potential of players like Martinez may be the best path toward fielding a potent offense in 2025.

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