Pedro Martinez elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

San Antonio - Earlier today, former Mission right-hander Pedro Martinez was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot.

Martinez received votes from 500 of the 549 voters (91.1 percent) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, far exceeding the 75 percent needed for election.

At just 19 years old, Martinez went 7-5 with a 1.76 ERA in 12 starts for San Antonio (then a Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) during the 1991 season. He made his big league debut for the Dodgers on September 24, 1992 at age 20. 

During his 18-year ML career, Pedro was an eight-time All-Star and a three-time Cy Young Award winner. In 476 career games (409 starts), Martinez went 219-100 with a 2.93 ERA and 3,154 strikeouts over 2,827.1 innings.

Martinez becomes the eighth player (and just the second pitcher) with San Antonio roots to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame, joining OF Willard Brown (played for San Antonio in 1956), P Dennis Eckersley (1974 TL Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year), 2B Joe Morgan (TL Player of the Year in 1964), 3B Brooks Robinson (1956-57), 3B Ron Santo (1959), OF Billy Williams (1959) and OF Ross Youngs (1913).

Joining Martinez in the 2015 HOF class are pitchers Randy Johnson and John Smoltz, as well as former Houston Astros infielder, Craig Biggio.