As per our sources at the Cuban Baseball Digest Orlando Martínez will have another opportunity to reach MLB in 2026 after signing a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. Martínez signed this contract after an impressive performance in the 2025-2026 season of the Mexican Pacific League (Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico). Playing for the Tomateros de Culiacán, he ranked among the league leaders in most major offensive categories at the end of the regular season.
The Cuban slugger led the league in hits (83) and total bases (tied with Willie Calhoun of the Naranjeros with 129), was third in doubles (tied with several players with 17), fourth in runs scored (47) and RBIs (46), fifth in home runs (tied with other players with 9), and sixth in batting average (.320) and slugging percentage (.498). With such a performance, he was included amongst the finalists for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award was no surprise.
To make his performance even more significant, it’s worth noting that his 83 hits represented the highest total by any player in any of the four main Caribbean winter leagues (Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic). This fantastic performance convinced the Rangers, to give him another opportunity in their minor league system.
In 2025, Martínez started the year with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes in the Mexican Summer League and dominated, and then signed a similar agreement to the recent one with the Houston Astros. He remained with the Astros’ organization for the rest of the season in Double-A, and his numbers were respectable.
He posted a .270 batting average in 60 games, with 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .724 OPS. Previously, the Havana native had played for six years (2018-2019, 2021-2024) in the Los Angeles Angels’ minor league system, reaching Triple-A. Martínez is represented by Gladys Alonso of A&F Sports.