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Summary
This is the most toolsy pick that the Astros have made in this draft leading up to this point. Jason Martin has a lot of tools when you look at him as a quick twitch type athlete. He has speed and is very quick in anything that he does. He doesn't have great height as he's just 5-10, but he is a little bit developed and weighs 170 pounds.
The calling card is the speed as it allows for him to be a very good defensive center fielder right now and could be an above average defender there. He has the speed and instincts to cover a lot of ground and his arm is strong enough to play there. That same speed and a very aggressive approach on the basepaths make him a threat when he gets on base. The issue is that he needs to be more selective when he gets in pro ball, but that's true for every threat in high school.
At the plate, he has a very nice compact swing from the left side that is pretty level and doesn't project to provide much home run power if any. But, he will spray line drives to the gaps consistently and turn them into extra base hits that way. He could use his legs better to create a bit more bat speed as he doesn't get much force going through his core from his legs and just kind of rotates his hips. The tools are there and it looks nice, but it needs work.
Floor
He could be a defensive replacement in the outfield as a major league floor because he simply has the ability to cover ground through speed and instincts. He has the arm strength for all three positions and could really help out in the late innings roaming the outfield. There's a lot to project for him to have an everyday job with the bat so I'll have his floor as the defensive outfield and pinch runner.
Ceiling
Lead-off hitter with above average defense in center. He could turn on a few pitches but probably will never hit more than a handful of home runs. But, he should hit for a good average and he has a decent approach which could allow for a high OBP that turns into a pitchers nightmare once he's on base.
Will he sign?
He's package of tools and could easily build stock in college. He needs reps and he needs some upper level coaching. If the price is right, I think he could lean to getting his pro career started early.
Bibliography
With his all-out style play and his short, yet well built physique, Martin is the type of player that fans love. Martin is an above-average defensive center fielder with solid range and good instincts. At the plate, he has a quick, compact swing and sprays line drives to all fields. He is an aggressive baserunner and has great instincts on the basepaths. Martin will attend Long Beach State if he doesn't sign.