BAJP Ep. 16 feat. Colby Martin

We interview Blue Jays prospect Colby Martin from the Dunedin Blue Jays. We asked about what got him into baseball, childhood idol growing up, attending to Messiah and transferring to Shenandoah, injuries and overcoming from Tommy John, experiencing through the 2023 draft, going to back to college, being drafted in the 2024 draft, and many more!

Episode Transcript

(00:32):
Welcome to another edition of the Blue Jays Ave.
Podcast. We have a special, special guest
in here today. He's a he's a minor leaguer for
the Dunedin Blue Jays pitcher Kobe Morin.
Welcome. We're honored.
We're privileged. Just tell everybody else who you

(00:52):
are and what else you do. Thanks.
Thank you guys for having me. My name is Colby Martin.
Like you said, I play for the the Needham Blue Jays here,
single a affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and I've been
to D3 college and NAIA and this is this is the last stop here

(01:14):
and hopefully, hopefully not thelast stop and hopefully we get
to keep moving up here. But this is the stopping the
road right now with the Dunedin Blue Jays.
It's so awesome to have you, man.
We're, we're so excited. Me and Rocky, we've been Blue
Jays fans our entire life. So it's like, I'm, I'm giddy
right now, man, Just having you here.
It's, it's so cool to have, havea, have a prospect and, and, and

(01:36):
somebody that's just killing it like you, man.
And your story is great. So we're excited to get into it
and and learn more about what makes you, you man.
Awesome. Yeah, I'm, I'm super excited.
Let's let's get into it. Alright, So what started for
you? Like what began?
Like how did you fall in love with the sport of baseball?

(01:59):
Like what age did you did you get get yourself yourself
involved of playing the sport ofbaseball?
Yeah, ever since I can remember,I've been been having a bat and
a ball in my hands. I was a played every sport
growing up, but baseball kind ofalways just happened to be the
one I I came back to and was wasthe best at all my friends

(02:22):
growing up played baseball. So we had a pretty good team,
Little League team all the way up through high school.
So I had really good friendshipsthroughout the baseball,
baseball world and baseball community.
So I think that was a really, really easy way to get started
into baseball. And like I said, it was it was
one of my better sports that I was good at.
So it kind of just stuck with meever since I can remember.

(02:43):
Tell us about some of the about growing up in your childhood
years playing baseball. What type of positions did you
play and whatnot? Yeah, growing up, I played
pretty much everywhere except like catcher and first base.
I remember playing second base, third base, shortstop, outfield
plenty of times, pitcher. So yeah, I've been been kind of

(03:03):
everywhere except behind the plate and first base.
They're kind of the only two positions I've never played, but
pretty much pretty much been everywhere and understand kind
of how every every place works on the field and kind of what
you need to do in order to get things done in each of those
positions. So who were your influences,

(03:23):
your idols growing up watching baseball?
Like who were the guys you you were always in favorite of
especially you being a pitcher now or or any other position
like who? Who are you guys growing up?
Yeah, this is gonna, this is a tough one to say, but my
favorite player growing up with Dustin Pedroia, cause I was, I
was a Red Sox fan growing up because my dad and his dad were

(03:44):
always Red Sox fans. So that's just the way I grew
up. But so I'll take Dustin Pedroia
growing up just so I like, likedhis attitude and his style
growing up. Obviously a little bit on the
smaller side and not a huge, huge name on the while this huge
name now, but wasn't a huge namewhile he was playing.
So he kind of just screwed my attention.
And like I said, I always followed the Red Sox going to

(04:06):
the pitcher side a little bit here more recently, kind of when
I started first pitching, I would say Marcus Stroman, just
because I like the way he he went about his work and was kind
of still still an athlete on themound.
Wasn't wasn't super pitcher oriented just yet.
And I like to athleticism and the way he carried himself
throughout college at a Duke andobviously in the in the pros.

(04:31):
So the first college you attended was Messiah University.
What was that experience like for you and what positions did
you play there? Yeah, that was the first first
school I went to right out of high school.
Didn't really know what I actually wanted to do when this
kind of just going with the flowbeing a little bit stupid like a
young kid kind of and just not really understanding what I
wanted for my future. Knew I wanted to play baseball,

(04:53):
but didn't really didn't really I should say I didn't care what
kind of just went with the flow and it really go to too many
prospect camps or anything like that.
So once the Massai yeah, smallerschool, I'm really close to
home. That's probably the main reason
I went there. But I played I played shortstop
and second base there and was off the mound a little bit

(05:14):
there. But that was the first COVID
season. That was right with COVID
happened live first year. So and that season got shut down
and I didn't really like the thebaseball and the environment
there. So I kind of knew I wanted to
change and that was during COVID.
So I kind of didn't have didn't have too many options because
all this everything was shut down, obviously right at the

(05:35):
start of COVID. And one of my other buddies from
high school played at ShenandoahUniversity, which is where I
went to after and he's like, Hey, you can come down here.
You'll you'll play right away. You get good coach is good
system down here. And obviously it's still D3, but
it was a lot better than where Iwas.
So So that's how I made the decision to go to Shannon Dough
and transfer from Messiah. Before, before we I ask you

(06:00):
about you going to Shenandoah, what were the comparisons
between both of those schools, between Messiah and Shenandoah?
Comparisons as in. Like as in the school, it's
like, what were the differences?Like the programs itself?
Like how much of a difference was it going to Shenandoah

(06:20):
compared to Masai? Oh yeah, it was, it was.
It was a huge difference night and day for sure, just to the
atmosphere around the baseball. The baseball team and the
baseball facilities were just somuch better at Shenandoah and is
a huge, huge step just in the competition as well with it
being in the different conferences.
Definitely, definitely better step in the right direction.

(06:42):
Right that. Now let's get to your to the
school there. You got transferred to as
Shannon Doah and you played second base and you're an All
American. What was that experience like?
You said you grew up watching Dustin Pedroia and I assumed
that that was the position that you were enamored of playing.

(07:03):
Were you also a pitcher as well during that time, or were you
strictly focused on second base?No, I was a little bit a little
bit of a picture. This is this is kind of where
the story gets started. Obviously I was an All American
at second base too. So everybody always asked me why
I didn't pitch more that season.And I really, really don't have

(07:24):
an answer to that. That's season in April 2021 was
the first season that I hit 100 on the mound.
But I just never I never, I never really pitch that much.
I just always would play second base and and hit and the team
didn't really I guess seeing me or use me necessarily.
And we kind of we kind of jailed, jailed well as a team

(07:46):
who worked well as a team. So that was probably 2021 at
Shannondell was one of my favorite seasons and most
memorable so far just because ofthe the guys that I was with and
the friendships that I made there that I still have today.
And we were very successful. But yeah, I just, I don't know.
I didn't pitch that much, pitched up winning here and
there and then and then that wasit that.

(08:07):
So since because you're an all American second baseman and you,
you said you threw 100. Well, it's just insane for, for,
for that level. Did you had a feeling that you
were going to be a pitcher at some point down the road or it
was something like I, I, it's, it's in the back of my mind.
That's something I'm gonna keep an eye on.

(08:28):
Yeah, I know. It definitely, definitely
crossed my mind as a couple, couple scouts attacked me that
season as well. Not too many, but just just a
couple checking in to see see how old I was and see if I was
dropped eligible. But yeah, definitely, it
definitely did did hit me a little bit.
I still probably kept it in the back of my mind just because I
didn't really, I guess understand the moment maybe at

(08:50):
at that time in my, my career, my, my life, I guess.
So I didn't really it kind of just I didn't really like think
of it like that. I guess I kind of just went out
there and did it. And obviously I love the game of
baseball. So I didn't really think of it
as as anything more than just just doing what I can and my
God-given abilities. Unfortunately, you had no elbow

(09:12):
injury in 2022, however you wereback the following year.
What was your motivation to get back on track get get back in
the game? Yeah, obviously that was a huge,
huge surgery. Obviously Tommy John's not a
surgery anybody wants to have, but it's pretty common in this
sport today, obviously throughout throughout baseball,
minors and majors. Obviously pitchers is it's a

(09:35):
huge surgery. But I think I think that that
time really, really helped me grow as a human on and off the
field. It kind of made me realize that
obviously there's more to life and stuff, but obviously I had a
pretty good future with baseball.
So I need to need to get back towork and just understand that
that this was this was just going to test me and that's

(09:56):
going to make me stronger if I come back from it.
So I just, I really took that time to understand who I was as
a person and then it made me better the baseball player and
once I understand, understood who I was outside of the
baseball baseball field. So 2023, you had the opportunity
to be in the draft that year, and I believe you.

(10:20):
You had your sessions at Petco Park.
What was that like? And also, I believe you don't
have to mention the teams. And because now you're with the
Blue Jays, of course, talk aboutthe experiences.
Talk about what was it like talking to other teams?
What was that experience like? Yeah, it was, it was it was
pretty surreal that 2023 going into that draft.

(10:43):
It was pretty, a pretty awesome moment and a pretty cool, pretty
cool summer to remember. Yeah, obviously I did a pre
draft workout in Petco Park, which was which was was pretty
awesome. But yeah, that whole summer was
was kind of a really cool moment, especially coming off
Tommy John. And that was a year and a half.
And it was kind of kind of a really good, really good

(11:05):
stepping stone for me. But obviously things didn't work
out with the draft there and stuff like that.
So went on to the next season and then decided to become a
picture after that 2023 summer in the draft.
But yeah, that summer was that was a really cool summer and
really, really awesome experience.
Is that that summer? So did were you classified as a

(11:26):
second baseman or were you kind of both because I know some
people who get drafted are classified as like multi
position, right? So were you?
Were you that? Yeah, I was 2023 hours listed as
both, Yeah. OK.
So you went back to college thistime you attended Southeastern
University. What was your motivation level

(11:47):
for getting back on track that year?
Yeah, after the draft and the circumstances that I went
through with the draft, obviously I kind of knew that
pitching was gonna be my future and most teams wanted me as a
pitcher. So I knew going back to
Shenandoah wasn't going to be the best opportunity for me
pitching wise. So I talked with my agent and we

(12:08):
tried to get to a couple D ones and stuff, but it's really late
in the summer, obviously after the draft.
So they kind of had every, they kind of had all their teams
figured out and all the money thing.
Things were kind of difficult toto come together.
So my agent was like, hey, you go back and channel or you go
down to Southeastern, which is an AI.
But obviously you're gonna get alot more looks down there from

(12:29):
show to warm weather. And you're gonna get great
pitching instruction from AdrianDingle, who was who was really,
really helpful in my in my career, for sure.
So during that time before, because I know that you were
eligible you, you went back to draft, but we, we will get to
that. But like, what was the
development like as you gradually becoming a a pitcher

(12:53):
now more than a second baseman at that point?
Yeah, obviously it was a huge, ahuge adjustment going into that
season, but obviously there's still still huge adjustments
being made considering they haven't even been a pitcher for
for two whole years yet. But so there's a lot of
development still. But that whole first year, just
learning how to be a Petra and not obviously playing every day,

(13:16):
being in the bullpen and stuff like that and just being around
guys that are pitchers and understanding how things work
and how my body works coming outof the bullpen.
I think was really a really goodseason last year and a really
good things came from stuff thatmight not have been the greatest
that season and there was a couple obviously bad outings and
stuff like that. So I think it was it was good to

(13:37):
learn from those and understand that that's going to happen.
And it's kind of kind of easy towipe away as a hitter, in my
opinion, a little bit faster than a pitcher just because
you're you have more opportunities.
But it was cool that season to learn from from failures and
also from the successes and get ready for the draft that that
summer after. You mentioned the pitching coach

(13:58):
there helping you develop your stuff.
What did you learn from him thatmade you better that season?
Yeah, we just worked on a coupleof mechanical tweaks.
Obviously you'd be in a positionplayer is a little different
going to the mound, but there's a lot of similarities as well.
Obviously, I still try to stay as athletic as I can on the
mouth. You don't wanna be too too
mechanically oriented on the mount or it's just going to just

(14:20):
not going to go well. So obviously you gotta get out
there and compete. But in in the side sessions,
both fans throwing forward and everything was was focused on
mechanics and understanding how my how my arm works and what I
need to do to be able to be successful in the mountain.
It was a huge, huge help. So you you went back to the

(14:41):
draft the following year and 2024 and I know it took so many
rounds, but finally you got the call from the Toronto Blue Jays.
You were selected in the 19th round.
So talk about that life changingexperience.
What was that moment? That moment you got that call?

(15:01):
Yeah, it was, it was a it was a long, long waiting period, like
you said, but there's past two days.
But it was, it was one of the greatest moments of my life so
far. It was, it was crazy.
It was surreal. It was pretty, pretty awesome to
have my family there and be withthem and just be able to tell
them that that I got it done andnow it's now it's time to work.
Ironically, I went to I'm a hugegym guy.

(15:24):
I love to go to the gym, but I have to, I have to dial it back
here as a pick a little bit. So but I, I went to the gym
right after, right after I got the call, celebrated a little
bit and then I went, then I wentto the gym.
So I'm always ready, always ready to get to work and ready
to get get better. So who was the from the Jays?
The Jays representatives who? Who is the guy that called you

(15:48):
to to give you the the call for to be drafted?
There's there was a couple. So obviously my agent was
involved with the talks, right. And then the the scout that was
that saw me and obviously wantedthe blue.
Jessamy made O'Brien was huge part in that.
And then then obviously got the call from from Ricky after,

(16:08):
after the draft, Ricky Meinhold,the pitching coordinator.
So it was it was pretty, it was pretty cool to get all those
texts and obviously make it, make it official.
But there's definitely, definitely a lot of calls, a lot
of tax for those, just pretty awful.
That's awesome. Recently quoted in a recent
article written by Eli Fishman that after your previous
experience with the with the Padres there, that as you were

(16:32):
awaiting your results from your physical with the Blue Jays,
that you were very, very nervousand you were sweating and that
you were expecting the worst. The Jays ended up seeing no red
flags. Everything was good in the end.
So what was that entire process like?
What was on your mind during that time?
Yeah, obviously it wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't the easiest,
but I figured I've been through a whole year pitching now.

(16:55):
So obviously if I was telling 98upper nines to 100, obviously
they all had to be had to be pretty good and pretty stable.
So I felt I felt a lot more confident going into that MRI
and understanding that they're obviously could have been things
at the Padre saw that just they didn't like or they seen before.
So I think I was a lot more relaxed than than Eli made it

(17:16):
seem. But I was definitely a little
nervous. But I don't know if I was
sweating, but maybe maybe because it's hot down here in
Florida. But but I was, I was, I was a
little, a little more relaxed just cause like I understood and
I think it was, it was the righttime.
So I just just kind of sat back and waited for the results.
But. Still, Gil Kim is the manager of

(17:40):
the Dunedin Blue Jays. How much has he been an
influence to and helping off thestaff and the and the team
itself? And also talk about the training
staff, the coaches, anterior Carteris.
I believe that's his name, right?
So to talk about all those guys and how much have they helped

(18:00):
you throughout your process so far?
Oh, they've been this, this staff down here has been has
been amazing. It's been probably the best
stuff I've been around. It's been it's been a blessing
every, everybody from Gil to to Tony to Corey to the mental
performance to the nutritionist.They've all, they've all been a
huge shout for me and understanding.

(18:21):
Obviously everybody has their own goals and stuff and we're
working as a team. But Gil just start off Gil.
He's been a huge, huge just inspiration and been been able
to uplift me. I just had about it last week
and in Saint Lucie. That was probably the first real
bad outing that I had the whole year.
And he's, he sent me a text after when we got to the hotel

(18:42):
and just just made sure that I kept my kept your mind positive
and just just reinforce stuff like that.
And he said, obviously it's baseball stuff like that's gonna
happen. You're not gonna be perfect.
And he's been, he's been a huge help just as just being my kind
of mentor really. And then going to the pitching
side, Corey and then Antonio, Tony, we call pitching coach

(19:04):
Tony been Tony's been probably one of the most influential
pitching coaches that I've had. This just all his knowledge that
he brings and us being able to joke around with him in the
bullpen because he's always downthere with us and just being
able to joke with him. And then also being able to, to
bounce ideas off of and understand when, when is a good
time to joke around with them and when is a good time to, to

(19:25):
be professional and be be all business.
So it's been, it's been awesome down here.
The staff been great. And I I can't say enough good
things about about everybody. So you're in, you're, you're one
of the Blue Jays organization. Now, what was that experience
point? What's the experience been like
playing for Dunedin? What are those training

(19:45):
facilities like? Cause we hear that we've seen
them. They're, they're absolutely
Immaculate. So just tell us about some of
the stuff that goes on down there and, and how you and your
regiment and and your experienceis playing for the Dunedin Blue
Jays. Oh yeah, the the facilities, the
facilities are awesome down here.
Obviously it's it's one of the best at this level.

(20:07):
Obviously it's gonna it's gonna be rough to move up.
Obviously everybody wants to move up, but just the facilities
down here are super, super clean, super super craft
everything just as everything has as you need it, from the
eating to the lifting to the locker room, everything's
everything's just as you would need.
The setup is beautiful there. It's redone everything.

(20:30):
The stadium is awesome and obviously it's all all into need
and which is a pretty cool smalltown.
So I think, I think everything set up here is is is pretty good
and and one of the best around for sure.
So talk about your shift, your seismic shift from year one to
year to year 2. You've been phenomenal.

(20:50):
The stats don't lie and you knowpeople have been starting to
talk about you in within the organization and what has worked
for you. I know your fastball is your
command. Like do you, do you also pitch
on your secondary stuff to to besuccessful at the same time
getting the strikeouts and working your way through or you
just just go with the flow? No, yeah, this, I think this all

(21:15):
season was really was really keyfor me.
Obviously it's still the, it wasthe first offseason of me being
a pitcher, but my trainer at home got me in into a really
good, really good routine, really good program throwing and
lifting wise and got my body right for spring training and
also also got my mind right. I think that's a huge, a huge
piece that I was missing last year and maybe still missing a

(21:37):
little bit. It's not perfected yet, but it's
definitely a lot better than it was last year.
Is, is the the mental aspect. I think just understanding.
Obviously I got here for a reason and they they drafted me
for a reason. So I think understanding just I
have the ability. So just go out there and do it
and have fun. And I think last year I was
really, really stressed on on performance and it was really

(21:58):
performance based. And I think this year just
coming in from spring training at the office, I think my mental
game is just been on point understanding to go out there
with confidence and just just think that I'm the man out there
and just just go out headers andjust throw it right to the zone.
And I think that's been a huge help.
But pitching side I, I banged mycurveball and stopped throwing

(22:21):
that. And now I throw, throw harder
sliders if other, which has beena huge help for me instead of
instead of having them really, really fast pitch and really,
really slow pitch. Now we kind of the slide.
I can throw upper 80s, low 90s off the fastball.
So it's been, it's been a reallygood help for me.
It's awesome, man. I'm Who do you?
Who would you say you emulate your game to?

(22:42):
Who would you compare yourself to if anybody?
Or you just go out there and tryto be the best Kobe bark you
could be. Yeah, like like you said there,
I, I just try to be the best Colin Martin I can be.
Obviously there's, there's a lotof people to look up to and
stuff, but I try to try to just emulate my own game and just
just be who I am. I just want to be be the best
goalie Martin I can be and go out there and dominate.

(23:03):
But if you had someone in mind, let's just say like, I want to
be like that pitcher. Is there anyone that comes to
mind or you just you just go with with with your with your
own thing? Kind of like I I like Ryan
Helsley from the Cardinals, I think.
He's. Nice.
He's got very good, very good arm and a very good approach
from from most of the things I've seen from him.
So I'll say, I'll say that to would be if I had to pick

(23:25):
somebody. So you play for the Dunedin Blue
Jays, They have a phenomenal team the way they're built right
now, including yourself, and I think that you're going to be
successful. But if there was any other
pitcher in your staff besides yourself, of course, what name
has to be thrown out there sinceyou, you pitch, you know,

(23:47):
you're, you're along with all those guys.
Yeah, the first thing that comesto my head is Javen Coleman.
He's one of he's one of my best friends on the team as well.
So it might be a little biased, but he's he's he's a dog and he
gets he gets the job done. He threw you probably started 2
Immaculate and in a couple weeksago, maybe like a month ago
against Fort Myers and was just was just carving and he's been

(24:09):
he's been dominant to start the season 2 but so I would say
Jayden Coleman for sure. That's awesome man.
As a professional baseball player coming from AD 3 school
and ended up achieving your dream, what's the best advice
that you can give to all the kids who are in a similar
pathway or dreaming about playing in the majors one day?

(24:29):
Yeah, I would just say don't, don't listen to any.
I mean, it's cliche. Don't listen to any of the
haters or any of the outsiders on.
There's always going to be, there's always going to be
people that are hating on you. Obviously, if you don't have
haters, you are doing something right.
So I think there's always going to be people that are in your
corner and people that are not in your corner.
And it's going to feel like mostpeople are not in your corner.
So I think, I think just stick to the ones who who understand

(24:49):
you and and love you and just just be yourself and go out
there and do what you can do andjust stop worrying about the
outside poisonous. Just be yourself and go out
there and do what you can do. Kobe Martin, that was awesome.
We thank you for being here man.You were great man.
We're going to follow your journey.

(25:10):
The Blue Jays Ave. podcasts are officially Kobe Martin stands.
So just let let the world know where you, where you at and and
where where you can be found because you need to be known
more. Yeah, I, I, I appreciate it
guys. Just it's been awesome.
But yeah, I think you can find me.
I'm on pretty much any any social media Instagram, Twitter.

(25:35):
Kobe C Martin .21 is the Instagram and I think the
Twitter, but Twitter is relatively the same.
But I'm not I'm not out there too much out there.
I've done a little bit more selfpromoting lately, but I've been
been pretty low key. But I think it's starting,
starting to pick up just a little bit like you guys said.
This is great, man, this is, this is awesome to have you it's

(25:57):
been, it's been an honor to haveyou take your time out of your,
you know, busy schedule to come and talk with us.
And um, we're just excited man. Like Rocky said, we're #1 fans
day one fans, man. So we're going to be at your
Major League debut one day, man so.
Yes, Sir. That's that's awesome.
It's going to happen and I can'twait to see you guys there.
I appreciate it. Make sure you follow his

(26:18):
journey. He he's good.
He's going to be talked about for years to come, but till next
time, take care, be kind to eachother.
Signing off on the Blue Jays Ave.
Podcast on Monday, June 9th, 2025.

(26:58):
Yeah.