Pirates fan favorite makes Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for first time

A decade after leaving his mark on the Steel City, a beloved former Pittsburgh Pirates catcher has earned a spot on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot for 2025.

Russell Martin, who called Pittsburgh home for a pair of seasons in 2013 and 2014, joins a star-studded list of players eligible to be on the ballot for the first time, including the likes of Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez and more.

Martin, a native of Toronto, was first selected by the Montreal Expos in the 35th round of the 2000 MLB Draft, but opted instead to play two more years of baseball at Chipola Junior College in Florida. His junior college career improved his draft stock, resulting in him being selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 17th round of the 2002 draft.

Martin made his MLB debut with Los Angeles in 2006 and spent five seasons with the Dodgers before electing free agency and signing with the New York Yankees. He signed with the Pirates during the 2012-13 offseason after two seasons in the Bronx.

Pirates fan favorite Russell Martin makes Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for first time in 2025

Martin's time in Pittsburgh was brief, but impactful. The Pirates made the playoffs in both seasons he was on the team, marking the end of the franchise's postseason drought that spanned more than two decades. Across his two seasons with the Pirates, Martin posted a 9.8 WAR and slashed .256/.362/.401 with 26 home runs and 122 RBI. His 5.7 WAR and 135 OPS+ during the 2014 season were the highest of his career.

Martin left in free agency after the 2014 campaign and signed with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, where he spent four seasons before ultimately finishing his career with the Dodgers in 2019.  He finished his illustrious career with four All-Star Game appearances, a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award. Martin slashed .248/.349/.746 with 191 home runs and 771 RBI across 14 MLB seasons.

Martin, who was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame last year, faces some stiff competition and may be a long shot to make it to Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility. Still, Pirates fans will want to pay close attention when the names of those being inducted into the Hall of Fame are announced on Jan. 21. If Martin can reach 5% of the vote, he'll get another chance next season.

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