Starling Marte

Starling Marte's Biography

Starling Javier Marte, the renowned Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder for the New York Mets, was born on October 9, 1988, in the Dominican Republic. His brilliant playing career includes spells with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, and Oakland Athletics before joining the New York Mets. He introduced himself to the Major League Baseball in 2012, debuting with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

As a testament to his exceptional skills, Marte is a celebrated two-time MLB All-Star and a winner of the prestigious Gold Glove Award twice. Marte made headlines in 2021 by leading the major leagues with a remarkable 47 stolen bases.

Raised on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, Marte was cared for by his grandmother following the untimely death of his mother when he was merely nine years old. His baseball journey kicked off when he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007, proving his mettle as a center fielder during his time in the minors.

2010 marked a significant phase in Marte’s early career, where he played 60 games for the Bradenton Marauders, the Pirates’ Class A affiliate, finishing the season with an impressive batting average of .315. Starling Marte’s reputation grew swiftly, earning him a prestigious position in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game representing the Pittsburgh Pirates. During the 2011 season with the Altoona Curve, Marte received numerous accolades, including being named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star and Post-Season All-Star, a Baseball America Double-A All-Star, a Topps Double-A All-Star, and a Milb.com organization All-Star.

In 2011, he swept several honors, including the Eastern League Batting Title with a .332 batting average and the Eastern League Rookie of the Year award. As a result of his outstanding performance, Marte was promoted to the Pirates 40-man roster on November 18, 2011.

The recognition of Marte’s exceptional talent continued when he was ranked number 73 on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list and number 56 on Baseball Prospectus’s Top 101 Prospect list in February 2012. In the same year, as a member of the Indianapolis Indians, he earned the title of International League Mid-Season All-Star.

In a historic event on July 26, 2012, Marte climbed the ranks to become the first graduate of the Pirates’ Latin American complex in the Dominican Republic to make it to the major leagues. Marte made his maiden home run on the first pitch he faced in his major league career, breaking several records in the process.

Marte’s impressive accomplishments earned him a lucrative 6-year, $31 million deal with the Pirates in 2014. On August 18, 2014, he displayed his prowess in a 7–3 defeat to the Atlanta Braves by achieving his second career multi-homer game. The following year, Marte won his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

However, his career hit a roadblock on April 18, 2017, when he was suspended for 80 games without pay for using Nandrolone, a performance-enhancing drug that violates the MLB’s drug agreement. He issued a public apology, expressing regret and the commitment to learn from this incident.

Marte’s ability to overcome adversity shone through when he was activated on July 18, 2017, and ended the season with a batting average of .275 and 21 stolen bases. Over the years, Marte continued to solidify his position as one of the leading MLB players, stealing 20 or more bases each season since 2013.

Despite struggling defensively in 2019, Marte rose to the occasion offensively, setting career highs with 23 home runs and 82 runs batted in. In January 2020, the Pirates traded Marte to the Arizona Diamondbacks, with whom he played until moving to the Miami Marlins in August 2020.

After recovering from a fractured rib sustained in April 2021, Marte made a triumphant return to the Marlins on May 28 and was named the NL Player of the Week for June 7 – 13. However, after rejecting a $30 million extension offer from the Marlins in July 2021, Marte was traded to the Oakland Athletics.

In 56 games with Oakland in 2021, Marte batted .312/.355/.462 and stole 25 bases. His overall performance in the 2021 season, including his stint with Miami, rewarded him the lead in MLB with 47 stolen bases. November 2021 brought another milestone as Marte signed a four-year $78 million contract with the New York Mets, where he continues to flourish, hitting .292 in the 2022 season and stealing 18 bases.

Besides his illustrious career, Marte’s personal life has had its shares of ups and downs. He shared three children with his late wife, Noelia Brazoban, who tragically died of a heart attack in May 2020. Marte’s nurturing grandmother, who had brought him up, passed away in May 2022. Despite these heart-wrenching losses, Marte continues his journey, always reminding himself of his loved ones watching over him from heaven.