OC Register: Angels’ Jason Martin feeling ‘more calm, more confident’

[AngelsWin.com]

TEMPE, Ariz. — Being a half a world away at this time one year ago taught Jason Martin the perspective that has served him well so far in Angels camp.

Signed to a minor-league contract this offseason after playing in South Korea last year, the Corona native and Orange Lutheran High alum is back in the familiar position of trying to prove himself at spring training.

“Definitely going into last season, I had a lot of doubts. I kind of felt I was going into the unknown,” Martin said of his time in South Korea. “But once I got there and realized it was the same game and I was able to do my thing over in a different country, I think without even knowing it, it helped me in different ways coming back here. I feel a lot more calm on the field, a lot more confident.”

At 28, the former eighth-round draft pick in 2013 by the Houston Astros still is in search of a regular chance to show what he can do at the major-league level. He has 85 games of major-league experience, seeing 58 games of action with the Texas Rangers in 2021.

But 2022 was spent entirely at Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers’ organization. And while he never was called up to Los Angeles that season, he made the most of his time by tapping into his power potential.

Martin hit a career-best 32 home runs at OKC with 107 RBIs in 129 games. His .938 OPS also was a career best. But when opportunities for 2023 looked like more of the same, Martin took a leap and moved to South Korea’s KBO, playing last year for the NC Dinos.

Martin hit 17 home runs in South Korea and had 90 RBIs. He had 20 doubles with a .360 on-base percentage and reignited his running game with 15 stolen bases, his most for a single team in one season since he had 20 at Single-A Lancaster in 2016.

There are no guarantees with the Angels, of course. Outfield spots are tight with Mike Trout, Mickey Moniak, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Aaron Hicks likely to land a spot. Those vying for attention to join the group at some point include Martin, Jordyn Adams, Jake Marisnick and Willie Calhoun.

Martin knows the prove-yourself routine well, which means he also is aware that by fretting over where he fits in won’t help at all. The only thing he can do is to show his worth. In five games this spring, he has four hits in nine at-bats, with a home run, double and four RBIs.

“It shows that he has some experience with the way he goes about his business and the way he plays,” said Angels manager Ron Washington, using the word “impressive” to describe Martin’s spring so far.

At 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Martin certainly does not cut an imposing figure. He tried to lean into his speed as a younger player, but outfield spots require power so Martin has gone to great lengths in order to oblige.

“Growing up was more kind of working with what I had body-wise, getting into profiles a lot smaller, a lot skinnier and not really knowing how to use my body the right way,” Martin said. “I’d say the past few years I really locked it in on how my swing should look, how I should feel and what is able to generate power. I think that has been showing the past couple of years.”

B-MOVIE

Coming off his first home run of the spring Friday, catcher Logan O’Hoppe participated in a B Game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Scottsdale, where he was able to bat every inning and hit another homer in six trips to the plate.

“I thought he had some great at-bats (Friday) and I didn’t want him to stop,” Washington said. “We don’t want to continue to put him behind the plate every day, but we got an opportunity to get him as many at-bats as he wanted.

“He’s young and he’s used to thumping. And when he’s not thumping, it can get into his head. The more at-bats we can get him to feel good about himself, the better off we’re going to be.”

Right-hander Jose Soriano, who pitched in 38 games as a reliever last season, got the start in the B Game and allowed one hit over three innings with five strikeouts.

OPEN PROCESS

The Angels are on the hunt for an Opening Day starter after Shohei Ohtani held the role the past two seasons, with Washington saying he will be patient before awarding the honor.

Related Articles

• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Reid Detmers confident he will fulfill his potential
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Willie Calhoun has homer among his 3 hits as Angels rally past Padres
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Patrick Sandoval leads Angels’ pitchers in victory over Guardians
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Mickey Moniak looks to build on breakthrough season
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ hitters go quietly in Cactus League loss to Rockies

“I think we’ll do that when we get down the stretch,” Washington said. “Right now, we have too many moving parts.

“We have an idea of what we have and know how we want to line them up, but let’s wait until we get close enough and know that everybody is where they need to be health-wise and mentally-wise and then we’ll do what we have to do with that.”

The Angels open the season March 28 on the road against the Baltimore Orioles and will play their home opener April 5 against the Boston Red Sox.

View the full article