Former Dodgers Catcher Goes Into Hall of Fame
Congratulations are in order for former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, who was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Martin, who was born in East York, Ontario and raised in Montreal, was a three-time All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner and reached the playoffs in seven of his nine MLB seasons spent with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates.
“It’s the highest honor we have in Canadian baseball. It’s overwhelming, a little bit,” Martin said before the ceremony in St. Marys, Ont. “I just think back to the journey that baseball has brought in my life. From a young kid, all the way through Little League ball, to high school, to junior college, to getting drafted, to the minor leagues, to having a career in the big leagues. Fourteen years just went like that (snap).”
The Dodgers selected Martin in the 17th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. By 2006, he was the starting catcher in Los Angeles. The following season, he was named an All-Star, Silver Slugger, and became the third catcher in franchise history to win a Gold Glove. He was a two-time All-Star during his seven-year career with the Dodgers.
Martin played six seasons with the Dodgers, from 2006–10, then again in 2019 to finish out his 14-year major league career. He was known for his well-rounded game and surprising speed on the basepaths for his stature.
Martin ranks sixth all-time in hits (1,416), RBIs (771), and doubles (255), and seventh all-time in stolen bases (101) and home runs hit by a Canada-born player. He’s first in all of those categories among catchers.
Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
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