ALL-STARS: Martorella & Marsee Honored

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – First basemanNathan Martorellaand outfielderJakob Marseeof the Fort Wayne TinCaps have been named to the 2023 High-A Midwest League All-Star team, Minor League Baseball announced today. The All-Star team features just 10 position players and six pitchers from across the 12-team league. Votes were cast by league managers, and final decisions were determined by the Commissioner’s Office.Click hereto see the full team.

Both Martorella (MLB.com’s No. 10 San Diego Padres prospect) and Marsee (No. 12) earned promotions to the Double-A San Antonio Missions on Aug. 21.

Martorella led the TinCaps in home runs (16), RBIs (73), doubles (26), and total bases (179). At the time of his promotion, the left-handed batter was second in the league in games (112), RBIs and total bases, while slotting third in hits (103) and runs (71), fourth in doubles and walks (73), fifth in homers, seventh in slugging percentage (.450), and eighth in OPS (.821). His 132 wRC+ ranked ninth. Martorella’s OPS and home run total were both top-10 for a season in the franchise’s history. He played 81 games at first base and 21 in left field.MLB.com also ranks Martorella as the No. 7 first base prospect in baseball.

Meanwhile, Marsee was leading the TinCaps in games (113), runs (91), hits (109), walks (87), stolen bases (41), and OBP (.413). He was first in the league in games, runs, walks, and OBP. League-wide he also ranked second in hits, third in stolen bases, sixth in OPS (.838), ninth in hit by pitches (10), and 10^thin average (.273). Marsee’s 143 wRC+ was the highest among all qualified players in the Midwest League, and the sixth best in franchise history (data available back to 2006), the highest since Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2017. Marsee was one of only three players in the league who’d walked more than they’d struck out. His swing and miss rate (5%) was third lowest. Looking back at Fort Wayne’s franchise history, Marsee’s OBP ranks third highest, while his OPS is sixth best – both the finest over three seasons at the High-A level. The 22-year-old from the Detroit area, who was drafted in the sixth round last year out of Central Michigan University, played 112 games in center field and one in left.

Martorella and Marsee are now competing in the Texas League Playoffs with the Missions. Last year they helped lead the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm to a California League title.

With Minor League Baseball’s archive available back to 2006, this is the first time the TinCaps have ever had multiple position players named Midwest League post-season all-stars. The last time Fort Wayne had multiple post-season honorees was 2019, when left-handed pitcherJoey Cantilloand second basemanXavier Edwardswere both recognized.

The TinCaps’ 2023 season, their winningest since 2015, ended in the Midwest League Playoffs last Friday. Opening Day 2024 is on the calendar for April 5.Click herefor next year’s schedule.