The Tampa Bay Rays designated right-handed pitcher Trevor Martin for assignment on Thursday, a move that clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly signed infielder Jorge Mateo.
The decision marks a setback for the 25-year-old Oklahoma native, who had spent the season bouncing between the major league club and Triple-A Durham as the Rays managed a crowded and frequently injured pitching staff.
Martin arrived in the organization as a third-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, taken 104th overall out of Oklahoma State University. Signed for just under $600,000, he entered professional baseball with the profile of a high-octane college closer.
His fastball touched the upper 90s with strong spin rates, and he had shown the ability to miss bats in short bursts. The Rays initially developed him as a starter in the lower minors, where he posted encouraging results and earned organizational All-Star recognition.
Over time, they shifted him back toward a relief role, a conversion that aligned more closely with his college background and the demands of their pitching pipeline.
This season Martin finally reached the majors. He debuted in April and made six appearances for Tampa Bay, totaling 11⅓ innings with a 3.97 ERA. He allowed five earned runs, struck out seven, and walked four.
While the numbers were not dominant, they reflected a pitcher still adjusting to big-league hitters and the constant roster churn that defines life with the Rays.
At Durham, he was more consistent, posting a 3.09 ERA across 43⅔ innings. He struck out roughly a quarter of the batters he faced and generated a solid ground-ball rate, though elevated walk totals remained a concern.
In June, FanGraphs ranked him the No. 40 prospect in the Rays’ system, highlighting a mid-90s fastball that played up because of his extension and arm angle, along with a cutter and splitter as primary secondary pitches.
The designation for assignment means Martin will be exposed to waivers. With the trade deadline already past, the Rays must decide whether to outright him to the minors if he clears, trade him, or lose him to another club.
At 25 and with a track record of minor-league success, he retains value as a depth arm who can still develop. For a franchise that has long specialized in extracting production from mid-round draft picks and converting college arms into major-league contributors, Martin’s trajectory is familiar.
Whether he remains in the organization or finds a new opportunity elsewhere, the third-rounder who once showed clear upside has reached a pivotal moment in his young career.
