Atlanta Braves: Ten Years of Number One Prospects 2001-2010

2004-2005: Andy Marte

2004

Andy Marte took the cake as the third-best prospect in Baseball Prospectus’ Top 50 of 2004. Our old friend Adam Wainwright cracked the list this year, but he did it as a Cardinal. As an 18-year-old in Class-A Macon, Marte clubbed 21 homers, 105 RBI, and hit .281 in 2002. In 2003, he continued to impress by blasting 16 more homers. Marte had racked up 67 doubles in the previous two seasons heading into the 2004 campaign.

2005

Andy Marte ascended to the top of the prospect list prior to the 2005 season. The Braves actually placed four players inside the top 50 of 2005. Among them were future stalwarts like Brian McCann and Jeff Francouer. Many people had very high hopes for Andy Marte. There was one problem standing in the way of him taking over at the hot corner in Atlanta, his name was Chipper Jones.

The Braves traded Marte to the Red Sox in exchange for Edgar Renteria to address an immediate need at shortstop. The next month, the Indians made their move for Marte. In a seven-player deal, the Indians had received what they thought would be a fixture at third for years to come in Andy Marte.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, Marte never transitioned from minor league star to major league star. He continued to grind the next few years and resurfaced in Arizona. On July 31, 2014, Marte was called up for his first major-league game in four years.

Marte entered the game in the sixth inning as a pinch-hitter with the game tied 3-3. In his first at-bat since 2010, Marte gave the DBacks a lead with a towering two-run shot to left.

Marte continued pursuing a career in baseball until 2017 when he tragically died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic where he was playing winter league baseball. Marte died on the same day as Royals’ pitcher Yordano Ventura, who was also killed an unrelated car accident in the Dominican. Marte was 33.