The Nationals signed Martinez to a minor-league contract Friday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez was released by the Blue Jays earlier this month after slashing just .176/.288/.348 over 99 games at Triple-A Buffalo in 2025. The 23-year-old has flashed plus power in the past and had been one of Toronto's better hitting prospects not long ago, making him a worthy flier for the Nationals to take on.

Martinez (undisclosed) was released by Toronto on Monday, per MLB's transactions log.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez was designated for assignment Thursday and will test free agency after failing to draw interest on the waiver wire. He didn't do much to help his cause at Triple-A Buffalo this year but did show flashes of power, slashing .176/.288/.348 with 13 home runs, 32 RBI, two stolen bases and 38 runs scored in 99 appearances.

The Blue Jays designated Martinez (undisclosed) for assignment on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Orlevis was shut down due to an unspecified injury Monday, but his play on the field is what also led to him losing his 40-man roster spot. The move comes to make room for Alek Manoah's (elbow) activation from the 60-day injured list Thursday

Triple-A Buffalo placed Martinez on its 7-day injured list Wednesday due to an unspecified injury.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez hadn't played since Aug. 31 due to the injury before Buffalo deactivated him. The 23-year-old had a brief cup of coffee in the majors last summer, but after being issued an 80-game suspension shortly after his promotion, Martinez hasn't resurfaced in Toronto. He's spent the entire 2025 season at Buffalo and hasn't made much of a case for a call-up while slashing just .176/.288/.348 with a 28.5 percent strikeout rate across 393 plate appearances.

Martinez went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

The 23-year-old has gone yard in three straight games. homering four times during that span as he continues to turn his campaign around. Martinez's prospect status dimmed following last year's PED suspension, but since the beginning of May he's slashing .291/.359/.583 with seven homers and 18 RBI in 28 contests, and more importantly he's struck out just 21.4 percent of the time after he stumbled to a 39.5 percent strikeout rate in April. There's no room in the big-league infield for Martinez and his questionable glove right now, especially given the emergence of Addison Barger, but he could slug his way into being an option for the Jays in the second half.

The Blue Jays optioned Martinez to Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez missed a few days of spring training after he was hit by a fastball on the hip Monday. He was able to return to action Thursday and log an at-bat. The infielder has been slashing .320/.393/.480 with a home run across 28 plate appearances in Grapefruit League play. In Triple-A Buffalo, the 23-year-old will play every day and wait for his next chance to prove himself in the big leagues.

Martinez was removed from Monday's 4-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Phillies in the top of the seventh inning due to a left hip contusion, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez is considered day-to-day after suffering the injury when he was hit by a 96-mile-per-hour fastball in his lone plate appearance of the day. The 23-year-old infielder is unlikely to be included on Toronto's Opening Day roster and is expected to begin the season as an everyday player at Triple-A Buffalo.

Martinez went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.

EDGE Analysis

Hitting ninth as the DH, Martinez launched a fourth-inning offering from Brandon Leibrandt over the fence in right-center field. Martinez could win a spot on the Opening Day roster with a big camp and even take over the starting job at third base, but it's his glovework and not his bat that will determine how quickly he's entrusted with those duties. The fact that he was used as the DH in the Blue Jays' spring opener, while Ernie Clement got the start at the hot corner, is a sign of how much the 23-year-old slugger needs to do on the defensive side to earn that opportunity.

Martinez will get a real chance in camp to win a spot on the 26-man roster and could push for the starting job at third base, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ernie Clement is the nominal favorite to be in the Opening Day lineup at the hot corner, but Martinez is the player that offers the most upside at the position for the Blue Jays. The 23-year-old is coming off a bumpy 2024 campaign that included an 80-game suspension for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy, but over 74 games at Triple-A Buffalo he slashed .267/.346/.523 with 17 homers. Martinez's most likely route to the Opening Day roster is on the bench, bouncing between second base and third base in a short-side platoon role, but the young slugger could quickly force his way into a more prominent spot if he begins flashing his power in the majors and can provide at least adequate defense at third.

Martinez finished serving his 80-game suspension Monday and was optioned to the Florida Complex League Blue Jays, per MLB's transaction log.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez was handed an 80-game ban in June for PED use and began a rehab assignment Sept. 6 before ultimately being demoted to the FCL. Despite this bump in the road, the 22-year-old performed well in 74 games at Triple-A Buffalo this season, batting .267 with 17 homers and 49 RBI. Martinez should get every opportunity in the spring to make the big-league club ahead of the 2025 campaign.