The Toronto Blue Jays called up outfielder Rudy Martin Jr. on Friday, and the 30-year-old is on the verge of making his official MLB debut — 12 seasons after the whole thing started. Jeff Passan of ESPN broke the news: Martin was selected in the 25th round of the 2014 draft, a round that no longer exists. The current draft only goes 20 rounds. That little detail says everything about how far away the big leagues felt when his story began.
From a Round That Doesn’t Exist Anymore
In 2014, the MLB Draft ran 40 rounds. The Kansas City Royals used pick No. 25 on a high schooler from Olive Branch, Mississippi. That kid was Martin. He spent seven seasons in the Kansas City system without ever getting the call, then signed with Washington in January 2022 and was released by August. After that: indy ball with the Milwaukee Milkmen in 2023 and the York Revolution in 2024, winter ball with the Tomateros de Culiacán in the Mexican Pacific League, and a stint with the Toros de Tijuana in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol — where he hit .316 with 10 stolen bases in just 11 games and led the tournament in steals. He also played in the Dominican Republic and Australia. Wherever there was baseball, Martin showed up.
All told, he has logged more than 600 minor-league games and stolen 239 bases across his affiliated career.
The Numbers That Got Toronto’s Attention
Martin returned to affiliated ball in 2025 with the Royals. Kansas City traded him to Baltimore on July 18, 2026, for cash considerations; the Orioles designated him for assignment two days later. Toronto claimed him off waivers on July 23 — then designated him again a week after that. He cleared waivers and landed at Triple-A Buffalo, where he’s hit .253/.351/.379 with 3 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 27 games.
Across his full 2026 season — combining stops with multiple organizations — Martin is slashing .274/.394/.421 with 11 home runs and 45 stolen bases in 91 games, the best offensive numbers of his career. He’s not coming to Toronto to hit bombs. The Blue Jays rank 28th in MLB with 140 home runs in 2026 and 27th in slugging at .383 — they know what they need. Martin is coming to run.
The Urgency Is Real
Toronto enters Friday one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the third American League Wild Card spot, with Baltimore — Friday night’s opponent at Rogers Centre — sitting two games back. The move displaced Jesús Sánchez, who was designated for assignment. Sánchez, 28, was hitting .260 with 8 home runs and 35 RBI in 99 games this season.
Technically, this is Martin’s second time on a 40-man roster in 2026 — Baltimore added him before the DFA — but he has never played a single MLB game. His official debut is still pending, though reports indicate he’ll be active Friday night at Rogers Centre. The expected role: pinch runner and bench bat. Exactly what he does best.
Twelve seasons through farm systems, independent leagues, and Mexican circuits, and it ends with the manager sending him to run in the seventh inning when Toronto needs a run. Not the most glamorous arrival. But it belongs to someone who never stopped playing baseball, even when baseball stopped calling.
