Nick Martinez named Rangers' Pitcher of the Month

FRISCO, TEXAS (SEPTEMBER 12, 2013) - Frisco RoughRiders starting pitcher Nick Martinez has been honored by the Texas Rangers as the club's minor league Pitcher of the Month for August/September. Other players recognized by the Rangers included Hickory's Joey Gallo (Player of the Month) and Sam Wolff (Reliever of the Month) and Myrtle Beach's Drew Robinson (Defender of the Month).

Martinez joined Frisco from Advanced-A Myrtle Beach on August 6, the day after his 23rd birthday and final Carolina League start. In six games (five starts) for the Pelicans and RoughRiders in August and September, the Miami native combined to go 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA (4 ER/38 IP), 13 hits allowed, eight walks, 29 strikeouts, a 0.55 WHIP and a .106 opponents' batting average. Among all pitchers in full-season Minor League Baseball from August until the end of the season, Martinez ranked first in WHIP, first in lowest batting average against and tenth in lowest ERA.

Martinez's most impressive outing came in his only Double-A relief appearance on August 27 against Corpus Christi. Rangers rookie Nick Tepesch started the game in a rehab appearance and Martinez entered the contest out of the bullpen with men on base and no outs during the third inning. Martinez walked a batter, but got out of the frame unscathed and went on to retire the final 19 batters of the ballgame, throwing seven no-hit innings in the process. 

The former Fordham Ram entered 2013 ranked by Baseball America as Texas' 27th best prospect, and he went on to have his best professional campaign. A mid-season Carolina League All-Star, Martinez pitched in 27 games (25 starts) between Myrtle Beach and Frisco. He went 12-7 with a 2.50 ERA (42 ER/151.1 IP), 117 hits allowed, 45 walks, 128 strikeouts, a 1.07 WHIP and a .212 opponents' batting average, establishing career-bests in nearly every category. 

Martinez joins several other RoughRiders players who have been honored by the Rangers with monthly awards. Teodoro Martinez and Alex Buchholz were each named Player of the Month for May and July, respectively. Randy Henry was the Reliever of the Month for April and, and in the same month Tomas Telis was named the Defender of the Month. Brett Nicholas took home Defender of the Month honors for May.