Russell Martin

Russell Martin
Martin with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 55
Catcher
Born: (1983-02-15) February 15, 1983 (age 34) East York, Ontario, Canada
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 5, 2006, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics (through 2016 season)
Batting average	.254
Hits	1,246
Home runs	162
Runs batted in	691
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2010) New York Yankees (2011–2012) Pittsburgh Pirates (2013–2014) Toronto Blue Jays (2015–present)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star (2007, 2008, 2011, 2015) Gold Glove Award (2007) Silver Slugger Award (2007)

Russell Nathan Coltrane Jeanson Martin, Jr. (born February 15, 1983) is a Canadian professional baseball catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, and is a four-time MLB All-Star. In 2007, Martin won the Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award.

Martin became the everyday catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers immediately upon his MLB debut in 2006, and continued in that role for nearly five years. His offensive and defensive performance earned wide accolades during his first three years, but they diminished significantly in 2009 and 2010; Martin spent the last two months of 2010 on the disabled list. After the Dodgers declined to offer him arbitration in 2011, he signed with the Yankees and succeeded Jorge Posada as the Yankees' everyday catcher.

In November 2012, Martin signed a two-year free agent contract with the Pirates and took over the team's everyday catcher duties. Following the 2014 season, he signed a five-year, $82 million contract with his hometown Blue Jays.

Martin was selected in the 35th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos, but did not sign. He then attended Chipola College for two years where he met future teammate José Bautista, before being chosen in the 17th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Drafted as a third baseman, Martin played his first professional season with the Gulf Coast Dodgers, and hit .286 with 10 RBI in 41 games. In the offseason, he was converted to a catcher. Martin played the 2003 minor league season with the Ogden Raptors, and was later promoted to the Class-A South Georgia Waves. In 77 combined games, he batted .276 with 9 home runs and 50 RBI.