NEW YORK — The Yankees just signed a 6-foot-6, 254-pound first baseman who can do a full split while stretching for a throw. Read that sentence again. It still sounds made up.
Ernesto Martinez Jr. has spent eight years in the Milwaukee Brewers organization waiting for his shot at the majors. That shot never came. Now, the 26-year-old Cuban with the remarkable nickname heads to the Bronx hoping for a different outcome.
His contract includes an invitation to spring training. What he brings to camp might turn more heads than any minor league signing the Yankees have made in years.
Nickname tells only part of the story
They call him “El Espectáculo” in the Brewers organization. The translation is “The Show” or “The Spectacle” in English. Both versions fit.
The nickname stems from his physical gifts, which defy logic for a player his size. Martinez can enter a full split while reaching for errant throws at first base. He has stolen 74 bases from 2021 through 2024, averaging more than 18 per season. Most first basemen his size struggle to get out of their own way. Martinez moves like a much smaller athlete.
“You have to see it in person,” Brewers assistant director of player development Brenton Del Chairo told MLB.com last year when Milwaukee re-signed Martinez to a minor league deal.
MLB insider Francys Romero first reported the Yankees signing on Friday.
“The New York Yankees have signed Cuban 1B/OF Ernesto Martinez Jr. to a minor league contract,” Romero reported. “The deal includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. Martinez Jr., 26, was close to making his MLB debut with the Brewers last season but ultimately was not promoted.”
Numbers show a player on the verge
Martinez was not always a power threat. That changed in 2024.
Playing for the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers in the pitcher-friendly Southern League, Martinez put together the best season of his professional career. He slashed .284/.365/.466 with 13 home runs, 62 RBI and 20 stolen bases. His strikeout rate sat at just 16.8 percent.
The second half was even better. From July 1 through the end of the regular season, Martinez led the Southern League in batting average and slugging. He hit .349/.443/.558 in that stretch with a 13.9 percent strikeout rate. He recorded 45 extra-base hits in 110 games.
Minor League Baseball named him Southern League Player of the Week twice that summer. The Shuckers named him to the league’s postseason All-Star team.
Martinez earned a promotion to Triple-A Nashville for 2025. A thumb injury limited him to just 80 games and 263 at-bats. He still posted a .357 on-base percentage despite the setback. His six home runs did not reflect his power potential, but his plate discipline never wavered.
The Yankees signed him after he elected free agency on November 6.
First base picture remains unsettled
Paul Goldschmidt left as a free agent after the 2025 season. The Yankees have not replaced him with a major addition.
Ben Rice figures to see significant time at first base after logging 50 games there during his sophomore season. Trade acquisition Ryan McMahon could also factor into the Yankees mix, though third base is his primary position. Both Rice and McMahon bat left-handed.
Martinez also hits from the left side. That creates competition rather than balance in the Yankees lineup. Brian Cashman has acknowledged repeatedly that the roster is too left-handed.
But Martinez offers something the other Yankees options cannot match. His combination of size, athleticism and defensive flexibility at both first base and the outfield gives manager Aaron Boone options no other player in the organization can provide.
The Yankees development staff will try to unlock more consistent power from his enormous frame. His swing naturally plays well at Yankee Stadium, where left-handed hitters feast on the short porch in right field.
Journey from Cuba spanned continents
Martinez was identified as one of Cuba’s best baseball players by age 13. He stood out on the country’s national teams at under-14 and under-15 international tournaments. His father, Ernesto Martinez Sr., was one of the most productive catchers in the Cuban National Series during the 1990s and 2000s.
The younger Martinez left Cuba and made his way to professional baseball through France and the Dominican Republic. The Brewers signed him as an international free agent in 2017. He was just 18 years old.
Injuries stalled his development for years. The organization kept believing in him. Martinez re-signed with Milwaukee before the 2025 season with an invite to major league camp. He posted an .850 OPS in spring training that year.
But Rhys Hoskins, Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn blocked his path. The Brewers never called him up despite his Triple-A performance.
Contract includes escape clauses
The deal Martinez signed with the Yankees includes two opt-out clauses in June and July. Those windows allow him to pursue an MLB opportunity elsewhere if the Yankees do not promote him.
Martinez will compete for a roster spot at Yankees spring training. The more likely outcome is a season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he can continue developing under the Yankees player development staff.
His minor league numbers over the past five seasons show a .270 batting average with an average of 17 home runs and 77 RBI per 144 games. His OPS has consistently exceeded .800. Scouts note his elite exit velocity, strong arm and explosiveness on the bases.
Championships are often won by the depth teams build in December. The Yankees may have found a player whose ceiling remains untapped at 26 years old.
Or they may have found the most entertaining first baseman in the Yankees minor league system. Either outcome qualifies as a spectacle worth watching.
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