The Athletics added another Bruin to their draft haul on the fourth day of the MLB Draft, taking UCLA third baseman Roman Martin with the 111th overall pick in the fourth round.
Martin became the fourth UCLA player selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, following shortstop Roch Cholowsky, who went No. 1 overall to the Chicago White Sox, along with first baseman Mulivai Levu and right-hander Logan Reddeman.
For the A’s, Martin arrives as a bat that can fit into a young group and keep moving forward. The source describes the club as 41-54 and building for the future, and Martin’s profile lines up with that direction as a pure contact hitter who could grow into a solid defender at third base.
He just finished the best season of his three-year UCLA career. Martin started all 60 games and posted a .333 batting average, a .446 on-base percentage and a .549 slugging percentage. He also finished with 54 RBIs, 79 hits and nine home runs, while drawing 42 walks and showing a steady presence at the plate.
That production earned him First Team All-Big Ten honors. He had already been named Second Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore before taking another step forward last season.
Martin also stood out when UCLA’s postseason went sideways. While the Bruins struggled, he was one of the few hitters who kept producing, going 5-for-12 with three RBIs, two home runs, two walks and only two strikeouts.
His departure is a tough one for UCLA. The Bruins are already staring at major turnover in the infield, with only Aiden Aguayo returning as a starter at second base. John Savage has added Taylor Kirk from the transfer portal, and Kirk is expected to factor in at either second base or shortstop.
UCLA does have some younger options coming, including Dominic Cadiz, who is listed as a third baseman. But with Martin gone, Savage may still need to dip back into the portal to find an immediate answer at third base.
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