Defense, Statistics, and Autism Awareness-- An Interview with 2013 Draft Prospect C Jeremy Martinez

This week we have the pleasure to chat with Mater Dei HS C Jeremy Martinez, a 2013 draft prospect many experts believe will be selected in the first few selections next June and has a legitimate chance at the #1 overall pick. 

Stephen Guilbert: Jeremy, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. There is universal praise for your defensive skills behind the dish. What have you done to separate yourself from the rest of the field defensively? 

Jeremy Martinez: Defensively, I believe my hustle is what separates myself from others. I take a lot of pride in my catching. I think catching is taken for granted at times. I like to be the leader on the field--I get to control the game and I'm in every pitch. Fundamentals are a huge key to my catching.

SG: Does your leadership stem from your competitive nature or is it something you have always had? 

JM: I'm a winner and I take losing very hard. Like I said, I'm a competitive guy... whether it's ping pong basketball or even video games, I'll give you all I have.  I have the mindset of helping my team in anything I can to come out with the W, whether it's pushing them or just talking to them to keep their heads up. 

Can you walk us through your thought process when you see a runner break for second? Do you have a fighter's mentality back there? 

I definitely have a fighter's attitude. I'm a competitive guy so I like to be challenged. Throwing someone out is a good feeling because as soon as he breaks you can feel the adrenaline kick in and the play slows down as you throw him out the crowd goes crazy. It's a good feeling.

Have you heard yourself compared to any current or former major league player and, if so, what do you think about those comparisons? 

Yes i get alot of comparison to Albert Pujols. A lot of people like to call me pujols due to my stance. I never tried to copy it but it came to me naturally and it feels comfortable to me. 

What do you feel you have to work on this year most?   

I believe I always have something to improve on. During the off season I am really gonna focus on my body swing and my catching. I want to build up quickness and speed and of course power. 

What is your favorite subject in school? If you elect to go to college, do you have any idea what you would major in? 

I'm a huge math person. I work very well with numbers. Mater Dei has had a huge impact on my life and has supported and taken really good care of me. I want to stay in sports whether it's sports broadcasting or sports management but I'm not sure what I want to major in. 

Being a math person, what is your favorite baseball statistic, if you have one (average, babip, ops, etc.)?

I would say average becase it's so hard to make it rise but yet an 0-4 can drop it fast. I find it very interesting.

How have you balanced being an elite athlete and a student? (not to mention all of the attention regarding the draft, showcases, etc).

It's tough to balance. Mater Dei has a huge impact on helping me balance academics with sports. The staff is always willing to volunteer for tutoring or when I'm gone, they're good about having my homework ready for me. Then when I'm done with school, I turn my mindset on baseball--Going go the gym to work on my weaknesses. From there, I head over to my brother's facility to get some hitting in. My brother has been a huge supporter of my career as he's willing to stay in his facility late hours for me to hit. 

Could you think of a defining moment or an influential person that has defined who you are and how you play?

I think the biggest impact on my life was how hard my dad would push me with baseball. I was very young and didn't know how to handle it. One day he sat me down and told me that on the field he's my coach and off the field he's my father and would do anything for me. He said, "If you can handle me then, you can handle any coach out there". From that day on, I was very self motivated and all my success is for my dad and at the end of the day i want to be able to say me and my pops made it. 

Could you share with us a bit about your decision to commit to USC and what grabbed you about that school and program? 

USC has been a dream school for me. I plan on living in Southern California so with a diploma from USC, you can't go wrong. I pretty much took baseball out of the picture and asked myself, "Where do I want to get a diploma from?" and that's when I realized USC was the one. On the baseball side of it, Coach Cruz did a great job recruiting me--I felt like home and it was a right fit for me. 

This question comes from Mack: "Hey Jeremy, it's Mack... I'm curious if you project yourself at remaining behind the plate or do you see yourself wandering in the outfield grass some day?"

I see myself staying behind the plate. I like working with pitchers and also controlling what goes on with the game. I take a lot of passion behind the dish.

Do you have a favorite baseball player, current or retired? 

I wear 25 because of Barry Bonds and it always will be my favorite number. But I have grown into Albert Pujols. Not just for what he does on the field but the person he is off the field as well, as a follower of Christ and how he gives back to his community. 

What sport outside of baseball do you enjoy watching/playing the most? 

Basketball. I love playing basketball outside of baseball. I'm a huge Lebron fan and it good to see him succeed and win a well-deserving NBA final.  

Last question: A lot of us who follow the draft only get to see numbers, showcase results, and scouting reports on you and all of the draft-eligible high school and college players but that never gives us a sense of the person behind the numbers. What is one thing you want people to know about Jeremy Martinez?

I'm a follower of Christ. I would not be here without him. I like to spread his word. I like giving back--I'm a part of Autism awareness and I like to spend time with the program whenever I can. I'm a fun guy. I live in Cali so I like to relax and go out whether it's surfing, bowling, movies, whatever. I like to think I'm funny haha 

Thank you so much for your time, Jeremy, and we wish you the best here at Mack's Mets. 


Thank you guys so much i appreciate everything. God bless.