Ariel Martínez Marrero

Ariel Martínez Marrero

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 209 lb.

• Born May 28, 1996 in Matanzas, Matanzas Cuba

BR register page

Biographical Information

Ariel Martínez has played in Cuba, Canada and Japan and has been on the Cuban national team.

Martínez debuted for the Cocodrilos de Matanzas in the Cuban Serie Nacional in 2014-2015, hitting .310/.375/.448 while playing error-free ball as their third-string catcher. That kind of work led to him being their most-used backstop in 2015-2016. He batted .284/.387/.406, though last year's starter, Onel Vega, did even better, causing the two to both see regular time.

He ramped it up further in 2016-2017 as the 20-year-old produced at a .339/.437/.451 clip with 15 doubles, 41 RBI and 42 walks in 86 games. He also threw out half those who tried to steal against him. He did not make the league's postseason honorees - Osvaldo Vázquez was picked as the offensive All-Star and Franklin Aballe as the defensive All-Star behind the dish.

Ariel backed up Yosvani Alarcón for Cuba in the Canadian-American Association in 2017. He hit .182/.229/.273 in 35 plate appearances. Like some other Cuban players, he was given the opportunity to play in Japan without having to defect. He hit .239/.287/.318 for the Chunichi Dragons' farm team in 2018. He spent 2019 in the minors for them as well but improved his batting line to .257/.329/.393.

The Matanzas native made Cuba's squad in the 2019 Premier 12 but did not play as Alarcón saw all the work at catcher.