2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 30: Máximo Martinez

Stalled in the ACL, but still packed with promise

Máximo Martinez
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
6´2´´
185 pounds
Age: 19
2023 High Level ACL (Rookie)
Age relative to high level -2.3 years
SSS rank among all right-handed starters in the system 9
Overall 2023 stats 0-0 ⚾️ 9 games (5 starts) ⚾️ 26 2⁄3 IP ⚾️ 4.73 ERA ⚾️ 1.425 WHIP ⚾️ 28 K ⚾️17 BB

Acquired from the Dodgers in an Aug. 7, 2023 swap for International Bonus Pool funds along with Aldrin Batista, Martinez has yet to suit up in a White Sox uniform. As a Dodgers farmhand from 2021-23, he pitched 55 2⁄3 innings between the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League.

Martinez has topped out at 99 mph with his fastball, but it doesn’t have a great shape. His best secondary is his curveball, but he also features a cutter and a changeup. He comes to the White Sox with a durable build and smooth, repeatable delivery that bodes well for the prospects of him sticking as a starter. That said, he’s sustained a couple of injuries (one to his right elbow) as a pro that have inhibited his ability to accrue innings.

To stick as a starter and have success against better competition with an affiliate, Martinez will need to throw more consistent strikes and cut down on the 14% walk rate he had in 2023.

Martinez’s Baseball Cube player ratings
vsPower 61
Hittable 61
Durability 60
Strikeouts 29
Walks 29
K/BB 21
Average Rating 43.33

Martinez will open the 2024 campaign still at just 19 years old, so given his injury history and any mechanical work that needs happen with some of his offerings he’s a good bet to start a and will look to see action at Kannapolis at some point. His upside looks to be a back-of-the-rotation starter with room for growth if he can polish is repertoire.

[Note: The makeup of the White Sox minors changes over the long course of this project, shifting ratings. The February 3 trades with Seattle and Arizona have added three highly-rated prospects to our list, sliding players down. The list below represents our updated rankings, although the stories they link to will retain original rankings (example, No. 56 Troy Claunch originally was our No. 55 prospect).]

2024 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox Prospects

30. Máximo Martinez, RHSP
31. Braden Shewmake, SS
32. Tyler Schweitzer, LHSP
33. Eric Adler, RHRP
34. Juan Carela, RHSP
35. Mason Adams, RHSP
36. Calvin Harris, C
37. Abraham Núñez, CF
38. Ronny Hernandez, C
39. Tim Elko, 1B
40. Mario Camilletti, 2B
41. Kohl Simas, RHSP
42. Shawn Goosenberg, 1B
43. Norge Vera, RHSP
44. Riley Gowens, RHSP
45. Jared Kelley, RHRP
46. Ryan Galanie, 1B
47. DJ Gladney, LF
48. Eddie Park, CF
49. Yoelqui Céspedes, CF
50. Christian Oppor, LHSP
51. Michael Turner, C
52. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
53. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
54. Jake Peppers, RHSP
55. Shane Murphy, LHRP
56. Troy Claunch, C
57. Edrick Felix, 2B
58. Gabriel Rodríguez, RHSP
59. Edgar Navarro, RHRP
60. Lucas Gordon, LHSP
61. Andrew Pérez, LHRP
62. Javier Mogollon, 2B
63. Aldrin Batista, RHSP
64. Ryan Castillo, 1B
65. Bryce Willits, 3B
66. Colby Smelley, C
67. Wes Kath, 3B
68. Alsander Womack, 2B
69. Jordan Sprinkle, SS
70. Connor McCullough, RHSP
71. Luis Rodriguez, RHRP
72. Jonah Scolaro, LHRP
73. Ben Beutel, LHRP
74. Stiven Flores, C
75. Adrian Gil, 1B
76. Yohemy Nolasco, RHRP
77. Ben Norman, LF
78. Josimar Cousín, RHSP
79. Juan Gonzalez, C
80. Chris Lanzilli, LF
81. Alex Speas, RHRP
82. Fraser Ellard, LHRP
83. Garrett Wright, RHRP
84. Duke Ellis, CF
85. Mathias LaCombe, RHRP
86. Godwin Bennett, RF
87. Rikuu Nishida, LF
88. Caden Connor, LF
89. Zach Franklin, RHRP
90. Jeremy González, LHSP
91. Jerry Burke, RHRP
92. Frankeli Arias, LHSP
93. Mikey Kane, 3B
94. Carlton Perkins, RHSP
95. Tyler Neslony, LF
96. Drew Dalquist, RHSP
97. Jason Matthews, SS
98. Jonathan Stiever, RHSP
99. Tommy Sommer, LHSP
100. Daniel González, LHRP