Jose Martinez (minors29)

José Manuel Martínez Quinonez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 192 lb.

• Born October 29, 1996 in San Felipe, Yaracuy Venezuela

BR register page

Biographical Information

José Martínez has pitched in the minors and for the Venezuelan national team.

He was signed by the Minnesota Twins. Debuting with the 2014 DSL Twins, he began as a reliever then moved to the rotation, finishing 2-2 with a 1.91 ERA and only 11 walks in 56 2/3 IP. Coming stateside, he fell to 1-5, 4.31 with the 2015 GCL Twins, tying for 4th in the Gulf Coast League in losses. Things were even worse with the 2016 Elizabethton Twins at 1-5, 7.88 with a 1.96 WHIP. He tied for 10th in the Appalachian League in defeats and was 3rd with 76 hits allowed.

Moving back to the bullpen, he rebounded to 5-1, 3.34 for the 2017 Elizabethton club, walking only 7 in 32 1/3 IP. He tied Jake Walsh and Melvi Acosta for 5th in the loop in wins. He had the league's second-lowest walk rate. Moving up to the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2018, he was 1-4 with 7 saves and a 4.52 ERA. Only John Curtiss and Jovani Morán had more saves in the Twins chain.

Returning to the Kernels in 2019, he was 8-3 with two saves and a 2.98 ERA. Only Randy Dobnak and Bryan Sammons had more wins among Minnesota's minor leaguers, while he tied for 10th in the Midwest League. He combined with Austin Schulfer in a no-hitter of Burlington. That ended his time in the US minors. In 2020-2021, he made his Venezuelan Winter League debut with an excellent 12 2/3 shutout innings over 12 games for the Navegantes del Magallanes, going 1-0.

The San Felipe native was 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA for the 2021-2022 Magallanes. In the 2022 Caribbean Series, he allowed one run in 1 1/3 IP. He posted a 3.52 ERA in 18 outings in the winter of 2022-2023. He debuted for Venezuela in the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, facing Puerto Rico. He relieved Brayan Salaya in the 5th with a 2-2 tie, one on and two out. He retired Kevin Luciano to end the inning. In the 6th, he walked Jeffrey Domínguez, retired Edwin Gómez and allowed a Kenen Irizarry single. Carlos Chourio relieved and let one runner score, but Venezuela rallied to get him off the hook. He allowed nine hits and two walks in four innings over four outings for the Games but three runs. He tied Freddie Cabrera for 6th in the Games in appearances; Venezuela won Bronze. He remained with them for the 2023 Pan American Games. His only appearance in that event came in the 7th/8th place game. He relieved Salaya in the 4th with a 5-0 lead over Chile, two on and no outs. He struck out José Hernández as a runner was caught stealing, hit Elio Quiñones and whiffed Felipe Rubio. In the 5th, he went 1-2-3 against Cristóbal Hiche, David Rubio and Allan Chu, the latter two by K. Ivan Andueza took over in the 6th. Martinez got the win over Sebastián Vega.