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J.D. Martinez reportedly planning a career in pickleball after baseball
A pickleball pro said he thinks Martinez has "no ceiling" on his potential.
A former Red Sox slugger is the latest notable athlete to jump into the world of pickleball.
J.D. Martinez, who played in Boston from 2018 through 2022, has signed an exclusive deal with table tennis and pickleball equipment manufacturer JOOLA. According to the Tuesday announcement, Martinez signed with JOOLA in order to “prepare to transition to professional pickleball after his baseball career”
“I see pickleball as a sport I’ll be involved in for the long run and JOOLA’s commitment to the sport and my personal growth in the game makes this partnership even more special,” Martinez said, according the release.
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Per JOOLA, he has started training with pro player Eric White, who noted that he believes the MLB slugger “truly has no ceiling” when it comes to pickleball. Once he gets going, Martinez will “receive backing from JOOLA to compete in professional events like the PPA Challenger Series and to host his own pickleball tournaments.”
Now 37, Martinez is currently a free agent. He last played professional baseball for the Mets in 2024, hitting .235 with 16 home runs and 69 RBIs.
While in Boston, Martinez notched some of the best years of his career. Four of his six All-Star appearances came as a member of the Red Sox, including his debut season with the team in 2018 when he posted a .330 average with 43 home runs and a league-leading 130 RBIs. Martinez was also a part of the team’s most recent World Series win (which happened in 2018 against the Dodgers).
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Pickleball, which combines aspects of tennis and table tennis (played on a doubles badminton court) has risen to prominence in the last few years. It was deemed the “fastest growing sport in the U.S.” on multiple occasions by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association since 2022.
The attempt to establish professional leagues has brought a plethora of celebrity investments. In 2022, it was even revealed that former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was part of an ownership group of a Major League Pickleball expansion team.
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