Starling Marte Bio
Starling Javier Marte (born October 9, 1988) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics, and New York Mets, making his MLB debut in 2012 with the Pirates. Starling Marte is a two-time MLB All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove Award winner. In 2021, he led the major leagues with 47 stolen bases and ranks as the active leader in career stolen bases and triples, with 361 and 55, respectively.
Early Life and Background
Starling Javier Marte grew up on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic. He was raised in a close-knit family environment shaped by baseball culture, the sport that dominates Dominican daily life. After his mother died when he was nine years old, his grandmother took over his upbringing and helped guide him through his early years.
Marte’s grandmother remained a central figure in his life and passed away in May 2022, an emotional moment that influenced his play during that Mets season. He grew up around sandlot and amateur baseball, which gave him his first taste of competitive play and ultimately set him on the path toward a professional career.
Path to Baseball
Starling Javier Marte signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007 as an international amateur and was developed primarily as a center fielder in the club’s minor league system. He climbed through the lower levels before reaching Class-A affiliate the Bradenton Marauders in 2010, where he batted .315 with 16 doubles, five triples, and 22 stolen bases across 60 games. His speed and line-drive stroke quickly made him one of the more intriguing outfield prospects in the organization.
Marte represented the Pirates at the 2011 All-Star Futures Game while playing for the Altoona Curve. That season, he was an Eastern League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star, a Baseball America Double-A All-Star, and a Topps Double-A All-Star. He won the Eastern League batting title with a .332 average and was named Eastern League Rookie of the Year. The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster on November 18, 2011, and he was ranked among the top 100 prospects by both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus ahead of the 2012 season.
Starling Marte Career
Early Career (2012–2013)
Starling Javier Marte opened the 2012 season with the Indianapolis Indians, where he earned International League Mid-Season All-Star honors and was named International League Player of the Week on July 2. The Pirates promoted him to the major leagues on July 26, 2012, making him the first graduate of the team’s Latin American complex in the Dominican Republic to reach the majors. In his first major league at-bat, he hit a home run off Houston Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel, becoming the third player in Pirates franchise history to homer in his debut at-bat. Across 47 rookie-season games, he batted .257/.300/.457 with five home runs and 12 stolen bases.
On June 25, 2013, Starling Javier Marte hit two home runs in a 9–4 win over the Seattle Mariners, recording his first career multi-homer game. He made his postseason debut during the 2013 National League Wild Card Game against the Cincinnati Reds and hit his first postseason home run in Game 2 of the National League Division Series off Shelby Miller of the St. Louis Cardinals. He finished the year with 12 home runs and 41 stolen bases across 135 games.
Pittsburgh Pirates Breakthrough (2014–2019)
Starling Javier Marte and the Pirates finalized a six-year, $31 million contract on March 28, 2014. He was a steady two-way contributor in left and center field, swiping 30 bases in each of his next two full seasons. In 2015, he batted .287/.337/.444 with 19 home runs and 81 RBI across 153 games and won his first Gold Glove Award as the best defensive left fielder in the National League. During the 2016 first half, he hit .316 with 27 stolen bases and was selected to his first MLB All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Yoenis Cespedes, finishing that season with a .311 average and his second consecutive Gold Glove Award.
On April 18, 2017, Starling Javier Marte was suspended 80 games without pay after testing positive for Nandrolone, a performance-enhancing substance that violates MLB’s drug agreement, and he was ruled ineligible for postseason play. He returned to post All-Star form in 2018, batting .277/.327/.460 with 20 home runs and 33 stolen bases, joining Jean Segura as the only MLB players to reach at least 20 stolen bases every season since 2013. On July 13, 2019, he hit the 99th and 100th home runs of his career against the Chicago Cubs, becoming the second player in Pirates history with 100 home runs and 200 stolen bases, behind only Barry Bonds.
Miami Marlins Era (2020–2021)
On January 27, 2020, Starling Javier Marte was traded by the Pirates to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and on August 31, 2020, the Diamondbacks dealt him to the Miami Marlins as part of the shortened 60-game season. Across 61 combined games, he slashed .281/.340/.430 with six home runs and 10 stolen bases. In Game 1 of the 2020 National League Wild Card Series, he had two hits and scored a run before a fastball broke his left hand. The Marlins still beat the Chicago Cubs 5–1, earning Miami’s first playoff victory since 2003.
On July 28, 2021, Starling Javier Marte was traded from the Marlins to the Oakland Athletics in a deal centered around pitcher Jesús Luzardo. Across 120 games between Miami and Oakland in 2021, he batted .310/.383/.458 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, and an MLB-leading 47 stolen bases.
New York Mets Era (2022–2025)
On November 30, 2021, Starling Javier Marte signed a four-year, $78 million contract with the New York Mets. After batting .291 with an .881 OPS in the first half of 2022, he was selected to his second career All-Star Game. He finished the year with 16 home runs, 63 RBI, and 18 stolen bases across 118 games while playing through a groin injury.
In 2024, Starling Javier Marte opened the year by hitting the Mets’ first home run of the season on Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers. On April 6, he recorded his 1,500th career hit, a single off Miles Mikolas of the St. Louis Cardinals, and on April 17, he hit the 150th home run of his career off Bailey Falter of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He returned from a two-month absence caused by a bone bruise in his right knee to play a key postseason role. On October 3, 2024, he delivered a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning off Devin Williams to clinch the Mets’ Wild Card Series win over the Brewers, and in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, he went 4-for-4 with three doubles and three RBI in a 12–6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Heading into 2025, the Mets announced in February that Starling Javier Marte would shift from the outfield to a part-time designated hitter role to limit injury risk. On April 23, he hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning against the Philadelphia Phillies, helping the Mets complete their second-ever perfect seven-game homestand, and after a brief injured list stint for a right knee bruise in July, he returned to the lineup on July 22.
Driving Style and Strengths
Starling Javier Marte has built his game around plus speed, line-drive contact, and disciplined outfield defense. His base-stealing instincts and aggressive reads on the bases have powered his run-scoring impact, while his reads and routes in the outfield earned him two National League Gold Glove Awards. Even as he transitioned to a part-time designated hitter role with the Mets, his plate discipline and situational hitting remained central to his value.
Notable Events and Milestones
Starling Javier Marte’s milestone moments include a homer on the first pitch of his major league career off Dallas Keuchel in 2012, his 100th career home run in 2019 that placed him second in Pirates history behind Barry Bonds in the 100-homer, 200-steal club, and his 1,500th career hit and 150th home run in April 2024. His 2024 NLCS Game 5 performance against the Dodgers stands as arguably the most impactful postseason game of his career.
Starling Marte Career Wins
Starling Javier Marte has accumulated his biggest individual honors through All-Star selections and Gold Glove Awards rather than traditional championship series victories, with two All-Star nods in 2016 and 2022 and two Gold Glove Awards in 2015 and 2016. He has contributed to playoff runs with the Pirates, Marlins, and Mets, including Miami’s first postseason series win since 2003 and New York’s run to the 2024 National League Championship Series.
MLB Highlights
Starling Javier Marte’s MLB highlight reel begins with his 2012 debut homer off Dallas Keuchel and runs through his 2016 All-Star selection and back-to-back Gold Glove Awards. His most recent signature moment came in the 2024 NLCS Game 5 against the Dodgers, where he drove in three runs with three doubles to help the Mets even the series.
Other Wins & Performances
Starling Javier Marte’s minor league résumé includes the 2011 Eastern League batting title at .332 and the Eastern League Rookie of the Year award, followed by a 2012 International League Mid-Season All-Star selection. He was also selected to the 2011 All-Star Futures Game, signaling his prospect pedigree before his MLB breakthrough.
Starling Marte Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Starling Javier Marte’s mother passed away when he was nine years old, after which his grandmother raised him and remained a guiding influence through his early career. His grandmother died in May 2022, prompting a bereavement leave with the Mets, and upon his return he hit a home run on the first pitch he saw from Colorado Rockies starter Germán Márquez, dedicating the moment to his “loved ones up in heaven.”
Starling Javier Marte was previously married to Noelia Brazoban, with whom he had three children: sons Starling Jr. and Smerling and daughter Tiana. In May 2020, Brazoban suffered a heart attack while hospitalized awaiting surgery on a broken ankle and died. In August 2023, he became engaged to Elianny Santana, and the couple married in the Dominican Republic in December of that year.
2025 Season Performance
Starling Javier Marte entered 2025 in a part-time designated hitter role after the Mets announced the position change in February to manage his injury history. He delivered one of the early signature moments of the Mets’ season on April 23, lining a walk-off single in the 10th inning against the Philadelphia Phillies to cap a perfect seven-game homestand. He later landed on the injured list in July with a right knee bruise before returning to the lineup on July 22.
As a free agent after his Mets tenure, Starling Javier Marte’s 2025 outlook will depend on his offensive production and durability in a reduced role. His ability to swipe bases and deliver situational hits continues to make him an attractive complementary piece for a contender in need of outfield or DH depth.