Todd Martin flat out hit in high school, enough for third round; Pro career lasted two seasons

Todd Martin broke some records in high school, including the North Carolina state record for career hits, The Raleigh News and Observer wrote.

As he approached the record of 129 in May 1989, Martin's head coach at Eden, N.C.'s, Morehead High Pete Cunningham played as consistently as could be, The News and Observer wrote.

"He has hit the ball well since the first time that he stepped into the box four years ago," Cunningham told The News and Observer. "There's nothing funny about our scorebook. He just flat hits the baseball."

Martin soon took his hitting on to the pros. His pro career, though, lasted two campaigns, time spent in rookie ball and short-season.

Martin's career began in 1989, taken by the White Sox in the third round of the draft out of Morehead.

Martin ended his high school career with 132 hits and a .501 batting average. He hit .612 his senior campaign, but came in second in state player of the year voting, The News and Observer wrote.

Martin had committed to attend Virginia Tech out of Morehead. But then the White Sox came calling in the third round and he signed.

With the White Sox, Martin started in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He got into 23 games and hit .250.

He then moved to short-season Utica for 1990. He knocked in a run on a single in a June game. Overall, he saw 43 games and hit .157. That season marked his last as a pro.

• Raleigh News and Observer, May 14, 1989: Martin could get a chart-topping hit
• Raleigh News and Observer, June 4, 1989: Gerald edges Martin for baseball honor

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:3,612
Made the Majors:1,247-34.5%
Never Made Majors:2,365-65.5%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:520
10+ Seasons in the Minors:306