Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez proudly looked on as his son Pedro Martinez Jr (Pepo) was signed on Wednesday, 24 September 2017, by the Detroit Tigers. Pepo Martinez is the son of Martinez and his first wife, Sandra Mena. He was signed by Al Avila, son of Rafael Avila, the scout who signed his father and uncle Ramon Martinez.
The announcement was made in Santo Domingo during a press conference with the Martinez family and Tom Moore, director of international operations for the Tigers organization.
As reported by ESPN, sources say Martinez is believed to have received a US$800,000 bonus, in addition to student fees, for signing a minor league deal with the Tigers as a third baseman.
After signing, Martinez said: “I wanted to be a professional player and extend the Martinez dynasty. Being part of the Martinez family is a motivation for me. I don’t feel any pressure to uphold the Martinez name. Now I’m going to focus on my career and try to make a name for myself.”
Martinez will graduate from high school from Colegio New Horizons in Santo Domingo in 2018.
Two-time Cy Award winner Pedro Martinez commented: “Today, I feel very proud to be a father, and I am very happy for my son, and thank God for allowing the Martinez legacy to be spread in baseball,” he said.
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ESPN
Diario Libre
2 October 2017
