This is the brutal moment an MLB prospect discovered he was being traded to the Miami Marlins while on second base for the San Diego Padres‘ minor league team.
During San Antonio’s Double-A game against Arkansas on Friday night, Nathan Martorella found out he was no longer a Missions player after being included in the Padres’ trade with the Marlins for Luis Arraez.
Martorella, an infielder for San Antonio, almost looked in disbelief when a Missions coach on the sideline told him to leave the game.
He then jogged off the field with fellow Missions player Jakob Marsee – who was also included in the trade – before the pair gave hugs and handshakes to his now former teammates.
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This is the brutal moment an MLB prospect learned he was being traded while on second base
During San Antonio’s Double-A game against Arkansas on Friday night, Nathan Martorella (right) found out he was no longer a Missions player
San Diego acquired two-time batting champion Arraez from Miami along with nearly $7.9million in the deal, with Martorella, Arraez and two other players heading in the opposite direction.
Outfielder Dillon Head and right-hander Woo-Suk Go were also dealt to the Marlins for the second baseman, who won the 2022 AL batting title with Minnesota and the 2023 NL crown with the Marlins.
Miami is paying San Diego $7,898,602 of the $8,491,398 remaining for the final 149 days of Arraez´s $10.6 million salary. That left his cost to the Padres at $592,796 – exactly a prorated share of the $740,000 minimum.
Arraez, who turned 27 last month, can become a free agent after the 2025 World Series.
Miami had said Friday night the deal was pending a review of medical information.
A two-time All-Star, Arráez is hitting .299 with eight doubles, one triple, five RBIs and 22 runs scored in 33 games this season. The 27-year-old has hit safely in 17 of his last 21 games after beginning the season with a .234 average over his first 12 games.
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Martorella gave hugs and handshakes to his now-former teammates after finding out
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He and four other players were involved in the trade that brings Luis Arraez to San Diego
Arráez finished eighth in NL MVP voting last year after setting career highs in average, hits (203), home runs (10) and RBIs (69). He also hit for his first career cycle on April 11 last year at Philadelphia.
Since making his major league debut in 2019, Arráez leads major league players with a .324 average.
He has hit over .300 in four of his five previous major league seasons and became the first player to win a batting title in both leagues in consecutive seasons.
