Nick Martini Bio
Nicholas Scott Martini (born June 27, 1990) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies, and also spent a season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League with the NC Dinos. Across more than a decade in professional baseball, Martini has built his career on plate discipline, on-base ability, and positional versatility in the outfield.
A native of Crystal Lake, Illinois, Martini came up through the St. Louis Cardinals system after being drafted in 2011, then carved out a journeyman path through multiple organizations at both the major and minor league levels. His career has included a memorable KBO All-Star season in 2022 and several productive stretches as a contact-and-walk bat off major league benches.
Early Life and Background
Nicholas Scott Martini was born on June 27, 1990, in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and grew up rooting for the Chicago Cubs. He attended Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake, where he graduated in 2008 and developed into a draft-worthy baseball prospect. His early rooting interest in the Cubs gave him a personal connection to the sport that later shaped his development.
After high school, Martini continued his baseball career at Kansas State University, where he played college baseball for the Kansas State Wildcats. In 2010, he was named the Big 12 Conference’s Baseball Player of the Year, sharing the honor with Aaron Senne. Following that 2010 collegiate season, he played summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League, an experience that helped prepare him for the rigors of a full professional schedule.
During his time at Kansas State, Martini established a streak of reaching base safely in 93 consecutive games across the 2009 through 2011 seasons. That run underscored the on-base approach that has long defined his offensive profile and helped raise his stock ahead of the 2011 MLB Draft.
Path to Professional Baseball
Martini entered professional baseball when the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the seventh round, with the 230th overall pick, of the 2011 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut that summer with the Low-A Batavia Muckdogs and then worked his way through the Cardinals’ system over the next several seasons. From the start, organizations viewed him as a high-contact, high-on-base outfielder rather than a power hitter.
In 2012, Martini played for the Single-A Quad Cities River Bandits and slashed .266/.361/.344 with two home runs and 52 runs batted in. The following season he moved to the Single-A Peoria Chiefs, batting .252/.339/.329 with two home runs and 36 RBIs. By 2014, he was splitting time between the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals and the Double-A Springfield Cardinals, posting a .260/.337/.385 line with career-highs at the time in home runs (7) and RBIs (60).
After reaching Triple-A Memphis in 2015 and spending parts of three seasons alternating between Memphis and Springfield, Martini was granted free agency on November 6, 2017, ending a seven-year run in the Cardinals’ system. That offseason marked his first opportunity to sign with a new organization and set the stage for his major league debut.
Nick Martini Career
Early Major League Career with the Oakland Athletics (2018–2019)
On January 10, 2018, Martini signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics organization and was assigned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. On June 6, 2018, Oakland selected his contract and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. Less than three weeks later, on June 23, he recorded his first career hit, a single that drove in the winning run in a 7–6 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Martini finished his debut season with a strong .296/.397/.414 slash line. His first major league home run came on September 20, 2018, off Los Angeles Angels catcher Francisco Arcia, who had been called upon to pitch in a 21–3 blowout victory by Oakland. The Athletics optioned Martini to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators before the 2019 season, and on August 25, 2019, Oakland designated him for assignment after he went 1-for-11 in six big league games.
San Diego Padres (2019)
On August 28, 2019, Martini was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. In 26 games with San Diego, he logged a .244/.344/.317 batting line with five RBIs while providing outfield depth down the stretch. The Padres designated him for assignment on November 20, 2019, ending his brief stint with the organization.
Chicago Cubs Era (2021)
On January 2, 2021, Martini signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization. On May 7, 2021, he was selected to the active roster after Ian Happ was placed on the injured list, returning him to the team he had rooted for as a child. Martini went 1-for-12 with one RBI in 12 games before being designated for assignment on June 5.
He was outrighted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs on June 7, re-selected to the 40-man roster on September 8, and then outrighted again on October 3. Martini elected free agency on November 5, 2021, closing out a return to his hometown organization.
NC Dinos and KBO All-Star Season (2022)
On December 21, 2021, Martini signed with the NC Dinos of the KBO League for $550,000 in salary and signing bonus, with an additional $250,000 possible from incentives. In 139 games during the 2022 season, he slashed .296/.365/.461 with 16 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. His performance earned him a KBO All-Star selection that year.
After the 2022 campaign, Martini became a free agent, giving him the chance to return to affiliated baseball in North America. His KBO season became one of the signature achievements of his career and reinforced his reputation as a productive bat at the international level.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2023–2024)
On February 3, 2023, Martini signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds organization. In 93 games for the Triple-A Louisville Bats, he hit .275/.393/.481 with 15 home runs and 65 RBIs. On August 22, the Reds selected his contract, adding him to the major league roster, and in 29 games with Cincinnati he batted .264/.329/.583 with six home runs and 16 RBIs.
Martini made the Reds’ Opening Day roster in 2024 and hit two home runs on Opening Day. On July 10, 2024, he underwent surgery to repair ligament damage in his thumb after suffering the injury while sliding into second base in a July 6 loss against the Detroit Tigers. He was activated from the 60-day injured list on September 24 and finished the year with a .212/.272/.370 slash line, five home runs, and 24 RBIs in 52 games. On November 1, he was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Louisville.
Colorado Rockies and Return to Oakland (2025)
On January 15, 2025, Martini signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies, and on March 23, the club selected his contract after he made the team’s Opening Day roster. In 43 appearances for Colorado, he batted .225/.288/.294 with one home run and four RBI before being designated for assignment on May 30. On June 2, he elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.
On June 5, 2025, Martini signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. He made 74 appearances for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, batting .259/.383/.434 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. Martini elected free agency following the season on November 6.
Driving Style and Strengths
Martini is widely regarded as a contact-and-on-base outfielder whose value comes from plate discipline and consistent at-bats rather than over-the-top power. His career has been built on posting strong on-base percentages, working counts, and finding gaps in the defense, traits that allowed him to thrive in both MLB and KBO environments.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature moments include his first major league hit driving in the winning run against the Chicago White Sox in 2018, his two-home-run Opening Day performance for the Reds in 2024, and his 2022 KBO All-Star selection with the NC Dinos. Together, those milestones underscore a career marked by perseverance through multiple organizations.
Nick Martini Career Wins
Across his time in the minor leagues, MLB, and the KBO League, Martini has accumulated steady production rather than headline-grabbing win totals. His biggest individual honors have come at the plate, where his on-base skills and gap power have translated into winning at-bats for several clubs.
Major League and KBO Highlights
Martini’s most decorated individual campaign came in 2022 with the NC Dinos, when he slashed .296/.365/.461 with 16 home runs and 85 RBIs and was named a KBO All-Star. At the MLB level, his strongest stretch came during the back half of the 2023 season with Cincinnati, where he batted .264/.329/.583 with six home runs and 16 RBIs in 29 games after his August call-up.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minor leagues, Martini posted multiple strong seasons, including a .294/.382/.423 line with eight home runs and 70 RBIs across Memphis and Springfield in 2017, career-highs at the time in both categories. Earlier, he was named the 2010 Big 12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year while at Kansas State University, a shared honor with Aaron Senne that marked his first major individual award.
Nick Martini Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Martini grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, where he developed into a baseball prospect at Prairie Ridge High School. There is limited public information about other members of his immediate family or any broader baseball lineage in his household.
Personal Life
Martini has kept much of his personal life out of the public eye, and verified details about a spouse or children are not available. He remains connected to his hometown roots in Crystal Lake even as his career has taken him across multiple organizations in the United States and South Korea.
2025 Season Performance
Martini’s 2025 season began with the Colorado Rockies, who selected his contract on March 23 after he made the Opening Day roster. In 43 appearances for Colorado, he batted .225/.288/.294 with one home run and four RBI before being designated for assignment on May 30. He elected free agency on June 2 rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Just three days later, on June 5, Martini signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics and reported to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. He made 74 appearances for Las Vegas, batting .259/.383/.434 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. That on-base heavy line reinforced the offensive identity he has carried throughout his career.
Following the 2025 minor league season with Las Vegas, Martini elected free agency on November 6. As a free agent, he remains available to sign with a major league organization or an affiliate for the 2026 season, with his track record of plate discipline and organizational experience likely to draw continued interest.