Royals trade minor-league outfielder Jose Martinez to the Cardinals for cash
The Royals on Wednesday traded outfielder Jose Martinez, the reigning Pacific Coast League batting champion, to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash.
Martinez, 27, was designated for assignment last Wednesday to make room for utility man Whit Merrifield on the 40-man roster.
Martinez, a minor-league journeyman who spent time in the Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves organizations, broke out in 2015, batting .384 in 98 games for Class AAA Omaha. In 2016, he was batting .298 with a .356 on-base percentage in 37 games at Omaha. Yet with a wealth of outfielders at Omaha, including Reymond Fuentes, Brett Eibner and Jorge Bonifacio, Martinez was deemed expendable.
Standing 6 feet 6, Martinez lacks the above-average defensive tools and athleticism that the Royals covet in their outfielders. He was assigned to the Cardinals’ Class AAA affiliate in Memphis.
Rustin Dodd: 816-234-4937, @rustindodd. Download True Blue, The Star’s free Royals app.
This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Royals trade minor-league outfielder Jose Martinez to the Cardinals for cash."