He went from Southridge star to minor league MVP; now Mason Martin is refining his game

There is no offseason once you get drafted by a major league baseball team. Former Southridge standout Mason Martin knows this all too well.

Martin has been working out and working with youth players at The Batters Box in Kennewick, keeping his skills sharp for his return to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in February.

“I’ve been home since September,” Martin said. “I haven’t been super busy. I’ve been lifting, hitting, sleeping and eating. After that, just hanging out.”

Martin will return to Florida the first week of December for a variety of programs.

“We won’t be doing too much baseball,” said Martin, who was drafted in the 17th round in June’s MLB Draft. “We will have pro series classes, mental conditioning and community service. We will also have team functions with trips to the beach and paintball. It should be fun.”

Martin spent his first season of pro ball in the Gulf Coast League for the GCL Pirates, where he broke the team’s home run record (11), and was named GCL MVP.

While he is in the Tri-Cities, Martin has been working with kids two to three days a week, and helps with the winter hitting camp on Sundays.

When he is working on his own game, Martin has taken advantage of The Batters Box’s new baseball simulator, HitTrax.

The program’s technology delivers innovation to the baseball industry by measuring real-time data and displaying live results for immediate feedback. It also let’s you have a little fun by gauging your hitting in all but two of the MLB ballparks. Martin was happy to take a few cuts in a simulated PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

“To have a tool like that, it’s more realistic than just hitting in a 10-by-10 cage,” Martin said. “It is the first time I have used it or anything like it. I was super excited it was coming here. You can see where it would really go. It’s like being part of a video game.”

Martin also can watch and analyze his hitting. Information is emailed to players and coaches, allowing them to break down hitting and pitching mechanics.

“I can use it to check out my swing,” Martin said. “In the offseason, you don’t have instructors to help you. It has been very beneficial.”

Yakima Valley Community College brought its pitching staff in for a session a couple of weeks ago. Not only could they review their pitches at the facility, but by the time the coach hit the freeway, his players’ video sessions were in his email.

“They left with a lot of knowledge,” said The Batters Box owner Nate Holdren, who moved his business to 4th Avenue (next to the old Spaghetti Factory) in October. “You can see how their feet are positioned, you can break down their mechanics better than a regular video. It’s a great tool for coaches.”

But if you just want to swing away in major league parks, that also is available. You have a choice of 28 — Oakland and Tampa Bay are not available.

Martin tried his hand at Seattle’s Safeco Field, but had the same luck that he did in the Class 3A title game in May.

“I was hoping to hit it out last May,” he said. “I got close. Same here.”

HitTrax also can be programed for softball and Little League players.

Softball players can test their luck on the Arizona State University field, while the young ones can hit at the Little League World Series park in Williamsport, Pa.

“There’s something for everyone,” Holdren said.

In his first pro season, Martin hit .307 with 39 hits, eight doubles, 22 RBIs and 37 runs scored (third in the GCL) in 39 games. He also ranked first in the league in on base percentage (.457), and led the league in on base plus slugging (OPS) at 1.087, the third highest in GCL history, which dates to 1966.

“I think it was a year to prove myself,” Martin said. “I had never faced competition like that before. I’m thankful for the opportunity to do it.”

This story was originally published November 28, 2017 at 7:08 PM with the headline "He went from Southridge star to minor league MVP; now Mason Martin is refining his game."