Nick Martini Bio
Nicholas Scott Martini (born June 27, 1990) is an American professional baseball outfielder and a free agent. Martini has played in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies, and in the KBO League for the NC Dinos, where he was named a KBO All–Star in 2022.
Early Life and Background
Nicholas Scott Martini was born in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and grew up as a fan of the Chicago Cubs. He graduated from Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake in 2008 and continued his development as a hitter and outfielder at Kansas State University, where he became one of the Big 12 Conference’s top collegiate players.
At Kansas State, Martini won the Big 12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year Award in 2010, sharing the honor with Aaron Senne. He also played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League and reached base in 93 consecutive games across the 2009 through 2011 seasons, a notable streak that underscored his on-base skills and consistency at the plate.
Path to Baseball
Martini was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh round, 230th overall, of the 2011 MLB Draft and began a professional career in the Cardinals’ minor league system the same year. He made steady progress through the organization, starting with the Low-A Batavia Muckdogs and moving through Single-A and Double-A stops as he refined his approach against advanced pitching.
Across multiple seasons in the Cardinals’ system Martini split time at several affiliates, including Quad Cities, Peoria, Palm Beach, Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. By 2017 he had posted improved power and on-base numbers in Triple-A and Double-A, and after seven seasons in the Cardinals’ minor league system he elected free agency on November 6, 2017, opening the door to a major league opportunity with a new organization.
Nick Martini Career
Early Career (2011–2017)
Following the 2011 draft, Martini established himself as a contact-oriented hitter with plate discipline in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He spent multiple seasons moving between levels, with incremental increases in power and on-base percentage that made him a reliable Triple-A contributor by 2015–2017. Martini produced career-high totals in home runs and RBIs during his final seasons in the Cardinals’ system and earned a reputation as a veteran minor-league outfielder with positional versatility.
Across those years Martini logged work at outfield positions and improved his offensive profile, posting competitive batting lines in Triple-A that attracted interest from clubs seeking left-handed hitting depth. His professional development culminated in free agency after the 2017 season, when he signed with a new organization that would give him his first major league promotion in 2018.
Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2018–2019)
Martini signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics organization in January 2018 and began the year with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. He was selected to Oakland’s 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues in early June 2018, making his MLB debut that season. On June 23, 2018, Martini recorded his first major league hit, a game-winning RBI in a 7–6 victory over the Chicago White Sox, and he hit his first big league home run on September 20, 2018, off Francisco Arcia of the Los Angeles Angels.
Martini finished the 2018 major league campaign with an impressive slash line that reflected strong plate discipline at the big-league level. He split time between the majors and Triple-A in 2019, making several appearances for Oakland before being designated for assignment late in the season after limited big-league opportunities.
San Diego Padres and Transactions (2019–2020)
In August 2019 Martini was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres and appeared in 26 games for San Diego, contributing as a left-handed bat and outfield option. He logged a .244 batting average and an on-base presence in his appearances with the Padres before being designated for assignment in November 2019.
The 2019–2020 offseason brought additional roster moves, including waiver claims and minor league assignments. Martini spent time on rosters and in spring camps as a depth outfielder; the 2020 minor league season was canceled, limiting game action that year, and Martini elected free agency following a period of organizational changes.
Chicago Cubs Tenure (2021)
Martini signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization on January 2, 2021, and was added to the active roster in May after Ian Happ was placed on the injured list. Martini appeared in a limited number of games for Chicago before being designated for assignment in June and outrighted to Triple-A. He returned to the Cubs’ 40-man roster briefly in September and elected free agency after the season, having provided depth and veteran presence at the Triple-A and major-league levels during the year.
NC Dinos and KBO All–Star Season (2022)
On December 21, 2021, Martini signed with the NC Dinos of the KBO League on a contract that included $550,000 guaranteed and additional incentives. He played 139 games for the Dinos in 2022 and posted a strong offensive season, slashing .296/.365/.461 with 16 home runs, 85 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. Martini’s performance earned him selection as a KBO All–Star for the 2022 season, and he became a free agent following the year in Korea.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2023–2024)
Martini signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds on February 3, 2023 and spent the majority of the season with the Triple–A Louisville Bats, where he hit .275/.393/.481 with 15 home runs and 65 RBIs across 93 games. The Reds selected his contract on August 22, 2023, and he contributed in 29 major league games, batting .264 with six home runs and 16 RBIs during that stint.
Martini made the Reds’ Opening Day roster in 2024 and produced a memorable start by hitting two home runs on Opening Day. A thumb ligament injury in July required surgery and ended his midseason campaign; he returned from the injured list in late September. Over 52 games in 2024 Martini slashed .212/.272/.370 with five home runs and 24 RBIs. He was removed from Cincinnati’s 40-man roster and outrighted to Louisville in November 2024.
Colorado Rockies and Free Agency (2025)
In January 2025 Martini signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies and made the major league Opening Day roster after spring training. He appeared in 43 games for Colorado, batting .225/.288/.294 with one home run and four RBIs before being designated for assignment on May 30, 2025. Martini elected free agency in June 2025 and is currently a free agent, available as a left-handed hitting outfield option for major league and Triple-A clubs.
Driving Style and Strengths
Martini’s game is defined by contact skills, plate discipline and an ability to reach base. His career on-base percentages, including a standout .397 OBP in his 2018 major league season and strong minor league strike-zone control, reflect a patient approach that creates value as a left-handed hitter. He has shown adaptability in outfield roles and has produced across affiliated and international leagues.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include Martini’s first major league hit, a game-winning RBI on June 23, 2018, his first MLB home run on September 20, 2018, being named a KBO All–Star in 2022, and hitting two home runs on Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds in 2024. His 2022 season in Korea stands out as a career highlight for sustained production and All–Star recognition.
Nick Martini Career Wins
Martini’s professional resume includes major league service time with multiple MLB clubs and a standout season in the KBO with the NC Dinos. Across leagues he has combined on-base ability with occasional power, producing home runs and run production in both North American and international play.
Major League Baseball Highlights
In MLB action through 2025 Martini recorded major league home runs and contributed as a depth outfielder for Oakland, San Diego, Chicago, Cincinnati and Colorado. His 2018 campaign with Oakland produced a notable on-base profile, and his later stints provided power bursts, including multiple multi-home run games and timely hits at the major league level.
KBO League Highlights
Martini’s 2022 season with the NC Dinos was a career-defining year: he slashed .296/.365/.461 with 16 home runs, 85 RBIs and 12 stolen bases across 139 games and earned KBO All–Star recognition. That season demonstrated his ability to produce as an everyday outfielder in an international league and raised his profile ahead of a return to affiliated baseball.
Other Wins & Perfromances
At the collegiate level, Martini’s 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year award and his consecutive on-base streak from 2009 through 2011 are among his early career achievements. In the minors he logged productive seasons in Triple-A that sustained his opportunities in the major leagues and overseas.
Nick Martini Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Martini is from Crystal Lake, Illinois, where he developed as a youth player and grew up following the Chicago Cubs. His progression from local high school ball at Prairie Ridge to Kansas State highlights a traditional American baseball development path from high school to college and into professional baseball.
Personal Life
Public records note Martini’s education at Prairie Ridge High School and Kansas State University. Other personal details such as marital status and family are not recorded here beyond his Michigan-area upbringing and baseball background.
2025 Season Performance
Martini’s 2025 season included a major league Opening Day roster spot with the Colorado Rockies and 43 appearances that produced a .225 batting average with one home run and four RBIs before a midseason roster move. After being designated for assignment in late May he elected free agency in early June, returning to the market as a veteran left-handed outfield option with recent international and major league experience.
As a free agent Martini offers teams a contact-oriented left-handed bat with proven ability to reach base, prior success in the KBO and experience filling depth roles at the MLB level. Clubs seeking a veteran bench outfielder, platoon option or Triple-A leader could find value in his track record and recent international performance.