Bronx, N.Y. – Want to see how some former Fordham student-athletes viewed their time on Rose Hill? Then Ed Randall's Talkin' Rams is for you.
 
For this series, Randall, FCRH '74, will interview former Fordham student-athletes to get their take on their experiences at Fordham, from the playing fields to the classroom.
 
We continue the series today with part one as Ed chats with Fordham baseball standout Nick Martinez, who was drafted by the Texas Rangers following his junior season with the Rams.
 
Martinez began his career as a Ram playing primarily as a position player. Over three seasons with Fordham from 2009-11, Martinez hit .295 with a .381 OBP as mainly a second baseman. It wasn't until he got drafted by Texas that Martinez began to solely focus on pitching.
 
Martinez was selected by the Texas Rangers 564th overall in 2011. He made his major league debut in 2014 as a starter for the Rangers.
 
After becoming a free agent in 2017, he signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. Three years later, he posted a 1.63 ERA in 23 appearances for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and earned a spot on Team USA for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Martinez started the gold medal game against Japan, holding them to just one run in six innings as he took home a silver medal. 
 
The success in Japan earned Martinez another MLB contract as he signed with the San Diego Padres in 2022. He recently signed a three-year extension.
 
Note: Part two will be posted later in the week.