The Minnesota Twins sent Austin Martin on a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, according to the outfielder's transactions log on MLB.com. Martin has been on the injured list since Aug. 17 due to a left hamstring strain he suffered while crashing into the left-field wall in an attempt to make a catch.
Martin could be nearing the end of his time with the Twins. He's been a solid platoon player for the Twins this year, playing strong corner outfield defense and boasting a strong .405 on-base percentage against southpaws. However, he's hit just .228/.306/.278 against right-handers this season.
Minnesota's outfield may have no room for Martin in 2027. Assuming everyone is healthy, the Twins' starting outfield next year will presumably consist of Walker Jenkins, Byron Buxton and Luke Keaschall. Trevor Larnach is under contract through next season, but the Twins would be wise to trade him, or even non-tender him.
Another top outfield prospect, Emmanuel Rodriguez, also appears ready to make his MLB debut next season, if not this year. Minnesota may also consider trading Rodriguez in the offseason due to the abundance of talented outfielders in the organization.
Twins may not have room for Austin Martin in 2027
Not to mention, outfielder Hendry Mendez is knocking at the door of his MLB debut, and outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and utilityman Ben Ross are already in the majors. Martin, 27, isn't old by any means, but Minnesota may prefer to give a younger outfielder an opportunity over Martin in 2027.
The Twins likely couldn't get much for Martin in a trade, even though he isn't expected to hit arbitration until 2028. The Twins could still look to deal the outfielder in the offseason. If they're lucky, they could get a solid reliever or a decent prospect in return for him.
Martin was a highly regarded prospect when the Twins acquired him and right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson from the Toronto Blue Jays as part of the Jose BerrĂos trade on July 30, 2021. Martin's prospect stock dropped in the years following the trade, and he didn't make his MLB debut until 2024.
In his rookie season, Martin slashed .253/.318/.352 over 93 games. He missed a large chunk of the 2025 season due to a hamstring strain. Shortly after being reinstated from the IL in late July 2025, Martin was recalled from Triple-A on Aug. 1 after the trade deadline fire sale. Martin hit .282/.374/.365 over 50 games with the Twins in 2025.
Unfortunately, it appears Martin will never be more than a platoon bench bat. Obviously, that's not a bad thing to be, but many expected him to be a much better player when Minnesota acquired him from Toronto. The Twins may still value his strong stats vs. left-handers and solid defense, but they also might not want him to hold down a roster spot over a younger player in 2027. It's worth noting that the Twins cannot send Martin down to Triple-A next season, as he will be out of options.
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