Published on April 6, 2026 6:49 am
Last Updated on April 6, 2026 6:49 am
A 2016 graduate of Salem High School, Riley Martin, has been called up to the Major Leagues, where he will join the Chicago Cubs as a left-handed pitcher. Martin was originally drafted by the Cubs organization in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB draft after a successful college career at Quincy University.
Martin has been in the Cubs’ minor league system for five years. In 2025, he posted a 6-2 record, a 2.69 ERA, two holds and four saves in 63 innings pitched over 47 games with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. He also had 80 strikeouts and recorded a 1.19 WHIP. Martin throws a fastball that sits around 94 miles per hour, a sinker at 92, a slider around 88, and a curve and change up that comes across the plate at around 85mph. He is now 27 years old.