J.D. Martinez Biography

Julio Daniel Martinez, born on August 21, 1987, is an American former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets. Martinez made his Major League debut in 2011 after a collegiate career at Nova Southeastern University. He was selected by the Astros in the 20th round of the 2009 MLB draft following his college play. On September 4, 2017, he became the 18th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a single game, achieving the feat against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Minnesota Twins drafted Martinez in the 36th round with the 1,086th overall pick in 2006, though he did not sign with them. He began his professional career in 2010 with the Lexington Legends of the Class A South Atlantic League before being promoted mid-season to the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Class AA Texas League.