Prospect finding success since arriving from Cuba

[Ramfan]

ST. LOUIS -- The Springfield Cardinals take the field in less than 30 minutes. Most of the starters are on the field, stretching, relaxing and preparing for the Sunday night contest against Double-A Midland.

One player, though, is still deep inside the bowels of the clubhouse. After a full round of batting practice at the indoor cage, Amaury Marti, dressed in full uniform and equipped with a huge smile, walks into the weight room, flicks on the lights and starts loading the incline leg press.

After putting several gigantic weight plates on either side, Marti, a six-foot, 190-pound block of solid granite, sits down and promptly does 10 reps. After a quick break, he repeats two more sets, each one done even faster than the first.

Then, he walks over the dumbbell rack and completes several arm and wrist exercises. Next, Marti (pronounced Mar-tee) heads to the squat rack, repping weighted overhead presses like he's lifting a toothpick.

Finally, he puts on wrist weights and taking full cuts, mimicking a swing that can deliver tape measure shots.

He takes the weights off, flashes another huge smile, and says, "This is my life. I love to workout. It's very important."

He turns out the lights and walks out to the field, completing a pregame ritual that few can match.

"He is one of the strongest individuals I think I have ever been around," Springfield hitting coach Joe Cunningham said.

Marti, a Cuban immigrant, is often compared to Lou Brock or, in Cunningham's case, another Cardinal slugger during the mid-90s.

"He reminds me of Ron Gant," Cunningham said. "Ron Gant with his shirt off was like a Grecian sculpture. [Marti] looks like he is molded. It's a God-given body of strength that is unbelievable."

The raw, talented Cuban was the Redbirds' last pick on the first day of the 2006 draft, selected in the 18th round and No. 556 overall. Other than the awesome strength, little was known about Amaury Cazana Marti. A few months later, Redbird officials still don't know much about the draft pick's past.

"He's got some pretty extraordinary tools," Jeff Luhnow, the Cardinals' vice-president for player procurement, said on draft day. "He's got a type of bat that can contribute immediately. ... He has bat speed that you can't teach."

Growing up in Fidel Castro's Cuba, Marti started developing his strength and playing baseball when he was 10 years old. His talent eventually earned him a spot on the Cuban national team. A few years ago, Marti was playing for Cuba's best league and someone asked if he wanted to be smuggled to the United States.

Keeping a custom that started when he came to America, Marti will talk little of his journey from Cuba to the United States. When questions were asked about his past, he said little, quietly mentioning, he still has family -- including his parents, brother and son -- in Cuba.

Through various other reports and sources, Marti escaped Cuba by hiding in a speedboat headed for Mexico. The boat eventually ran out of gas in the water, but he still made it to shore. After running to the border, Marti eventually landed in Florida and earned a spot with Elmira in the Can-Am Independent League.

In Spring Training 2006, Marti bounced around in Florida, trying to catch the eye of a Major League club. One time, a friend asked him if he wanted to try out for the Cardinals.

"The Cardinals, Wow!" Marti recalls. "Albert Pujols, Wow! Let's go!"

And the immigrant made an undeniable impact on the Redbirds organization, delivering Pujols-like pop once he stepped to the plate. Since Marti had declared residency in the United States, he had to wait for the June draft to sign with a team.

He also had another problem: his age. Marti says he is 27, while others list him at 27 or 28 and the S-Cards' roster states he is 31. Still, the Cardinals, saw the incredible power and strength.

"We knew about him and we felt that at that point in the draft, that he was a guy worth taking because we knew of the physical strength that he had," Cardinals farm director Bruce Manno said. "We really felt that the reward really outweighed the risk of taking him and we thought that it would be someone that could advance as a hitter and could advance quickly."

And Marti certainly moved fast. Less than a week later, he signed with high-A Palm Beach -- the only player in the Redbirds' '06 draft that started above low A. He quickly showcased his explosive power, batting .323 (10-for-33) with seven RBIs in his first seven games.

In his second at-bat, he belted his first homer, a blast that hit off the roof of the Florida Marlins' clubhouse. A few weeks later, he also delivered another smash that bounced off the Marlins' roof.

Marti, batting .282 with four homers and six doubles in 20 games, quickly earned a promotion to Double-A Springfield. He continued exhibiting his incredible power at Double-A, scorching opposing pitchers for a .364 average and five extra-base hits in his first 44 at-bats -- and prompting rumors that he could be a dark horse candidate for a September callup.

"All he has to do is put a good swing on the ball and it's going to go 500 feet," Cunningham said.

Since then, the prospect has fallen into some poor habits, causing a high strikeout total (37) and a low average (.235) in just 115 at-bats entering Monday's action.

"He is spinning off balls and he is pulling off a lot and his head is going one way and he is pulling off way too early," Manno said. "His head is really flying before the bat even gets through the strike zone. In batting practice, he stays on the ball and he doesn't pull off and he pulls the ball to right field. ... Right now, he is trying to make that adjustment."

Still, the organization realizes the potential that Marti possesses. Few prospects can match the power and incredible strength of Marti.

"He has tremendous bat speed and strength in his hands and the thing is with him in that he has to get some professional at-bats," Springfield manager Chris Maloney said. "He is already in Double-A and this is his first professional go-around. He is going to have to make some adjustments, but there is a lot of potential.

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I thought this was a really neat story to show some kids like myself what type of work and dedication it takes to make it in the big time.  To me, seems like this guy stared adversity in the eyes and overcame it.  Very touching story.