Lafayette Drillers Flashback: Joey Martin

The Lafayette Drillers, a Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, called Lafayette, Louisiana their home for two years, from 1975-1976.

The Drillers, who played their home games at Clark Field, were co-champions of the Texas League in 1975 with the Midland Cubs, finishing 72-57, before going 58-76 in 1976, the last year of affiliated professional baseball in Lafayette.

A number of outstanding players, who eventually made it into Major League Baseball ranks played at Clark Field in 1975 & 1976, including five former Lafayette Driller players.

All summer long, we’re taking a look back at some of the former players for the Drillers.

Today, Joey Martin.

Martin spent all of the 1975 season in Lafayette with the Drillers, as well as a small part of 1976.

Known as a good receiver, and a great signal-caller, Martin was a terrific defensive catcher, Martin caught 58 games for the Drillers in 1975, and another 12 in 1976, while playing a small number of games at first base.

The left-handed hitting catcher was also an average hitter, batting a .263 with three home runs and 25runs batted in in 1975, while hitting a .256, to go along with one homers and seven RBI’s in 1976.

Barnes, who played his college baseball at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California, also contributed 95 hits, 60 runs scored, 15 doubles, and three triples in 1976.

In 213 at-bats in 1975, Martin compiled up 56 hits, 19 runs, four doubles, and 31 walks, while striking out only 13 times.

Martin had some success at the AAA level, hitting a career .247 in 156 games, but never made it to Major League Baseball, and his professional career ended following the 1977 season.