MESA, Ariz. — House run prowess from slugging outfielders has turn into commonplace for Yankees followers on the huge league degree over the previous few seasons. Prospect Garrett Martin etched out his personal homer lore with a scintillating ultimate spherical that earned him 2024 Arizona Fall League House Run Derby winner honors on Friday evening.
However the truth that the Yankees’ outfield prospect was even current at Sloan Park? That’s a product of 2023 champ, Twins No. 19 prospect Kala’i Rosario, his teammate with the Salt River Rafters this fall. Rosario was requested again to defend his crown, and he agreed, however with a caveat: His good buddy Martin needed to be part of him.
“We sort of have a bit of House Run Derby daily earlier than the sport simply between the 2 of us,” Martin mentioned of Rosario. “Attending to do it on this stage is fairly cool.”
Martin drilled 10 homers within the ultimate 90-second spherical to topple Brewers No. 8 prospect Brock Wilken, who made the daring option to go first of their showdown. The 24-year-old Martin had simply 4 homers with 47 seconds remaining, and trailing by 5 round-trippers, he selected to take his timeout to catch his breath and refocus. He homered on his subsequent two swings earlier than reeling off a homer flurry that despatched him to the winner’s circle.
“Let it eat,” Martin mentioned of his technique. “Simply hit balls as exhausting as I may over the fence.”
Flash again to 2008 when the Rangers’ Josh Hamilton placed on a prodigious house run frenzy on the MLB House Run Derby however finally fell in need of the ultimate prize. Whereas Martin’s late theatrics sealed his place within the Fall League historical past books, Wilken placed on a present paying homage to Hamilton’s in his personal proper.
The primary batter of the evening to dig in, Wilken set a file by hammering 14 house runs, probably the most in any single spherical over the Derby’s three-year historical past. Powered by some current dad energy by the hands of his new child son, the Brewers’ 2023 first-round decide led all Derby members with 33 homers throughout his two preliminary rounds and the championship format — taking his dad, Josh, who served as his pitcher, deep within the course of.
“That was a cool second to share with him. It was fairly particular,” Wilken mentioned. “Not many individuals get to do this — and get to do that on the whole — so having the ability to do it with him was actually particular.”
After that record-setting efficiency, Wilken had fairly the layoff as the opposite opponents swung for the fences. So he warmed up by nuzzling his new child, Caden Knox, in between rounds.
“I wanted it,” Wilken mentioned, laughing. “That’s my good-luck appeal over there. Having my household within the stands, it’s superior. Such a pleasure and an honor to be right here.”
Chosen within the twenty second spherical of the 2018 Draft by the Orioles out of a Colorado highschool, Martin selected to go the collegiate route, which turned out to be a circuitous journey. Stops at Oklahoma State, McLennan Group School (Waco, Texas) and Austin Peay State, in addition to a stint within the MLB Draft League, didn’t materialize in one other Draft choice. However shortly after the 2023 Draft, the Yankees got here calling with an undrafted free agent provide.
Martin has gotten to point out off the ability he boasts in his 6-foot-3, 215-pound body with a full season below his belt, going deep 14 instances for Excessive-A Hudson Valley this yr. He has added 4 extra round-trippers for Salt River within the Fall League, a worthwhile likelihood to enhance his prospect profile heading into 2025 and past.
“I used to be actually excited to even get the chance to come back and do that and get to be within the Fall League on the whole,” Martin mentioned. “Then to be a part of the House Run Derby was much more particular for me.”
Regardless of temps that persistently dipped into the 50s all through the evening, the ball was nonetheless flying with rapidity all through the competition. Gamers mixed to slug 116 homers, dotting the left- and right-field berms with ample souvenirs for the younger followers joyful to trace them down.
The 2-round totals for the opposite six members have been as follows:
MLB.com’s Kelsie Heneghan contributed to this story.
