Right-hander Seth Martinez went unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment, per the transaction log at MLB.com. Miami assigned him outright to Triple-A Jacksonville, but Martinez has rejected that assignment in favor of free agency — as is his right as a player who’s previously been outrighted in his career.
The 31-year-old Martinez pitched just 6 2/3 innings with the Marlins in 2025, during which he allowed four runs on four hits and three walks with four punchouts. He’s now pitched in parts of five big league seasons, with all but this year’s Marlins cup of coffee coming in an Astros uniform. The Arizona State product has logged 144 innings in the majors and delivered a flat 4.00 ERA with a 20.5% strikeout rate, a 9.3% walk rate, a 38.6% ground-ball rate and 1.06 homers per nine innings pitched.
Martinez has never been a hard thrower, but this year’s 90.1 mph average four-seamer and 88.8 mph average sinker both represent career-low marks. Those obviously came in small samples, but Statcast shows that his velocity in the upper minors was virtually identical.
In 43 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level this season, Martinez worked to a solid 3.71 earned run average. He fanned 28.9% of his opponents despite that lackluster velocity, and his 9.6% walk rate mirrored what he’s posted in big major league career. In parts of five Triple-A seasons, Martinez touts a 2.97 ERA through 148 2/3 frames. We’re close enough to the end of the season that he may just remain a free agent until the offseason is underway. Regardless, he’ll likely land a minor league deal on the open market.