High School

Jefferson City's Jordan Martin named Gatorade Missouri Baseball Player of the Year

Arkansas Razorbacks baseball commit and MLB Draft prospect earns prestigious high school honor after another dominant season on the diamond

Levi Payton

Jefferson City native Jordan Martin pitches for Team USA's 18U national team during 2024 competition.
Jefferson City native Jordan Martin pitches for Team USA's 18U national team during 2024 competition. / USA Baseball

We brought you a story about Jordan Martin back in January and told you that the Arkansas Razorbacks commit, and High School On SI - Missouri's No. 1 high school prospect in the state of Missouri, might not make it to campus in Fayetteville if he had another strong season on the diamond this spring for the Jefferson City Jays.

Razorbacks fans, it's time to start sweating. Martin - a gold medalist with USA Baseball - is expected to hear his name called in this year's MLB Draft, which takes place June 13-14. But this week, he got an award from a company with ties to another SEC program.

The 6-foot-5 senior was named 2025 Gatorade Missouri Baseball Player of the Year after the senior helped lead his Jays to a 25-6 record.

Also a member of the USA Baseball 18U National Team and a Perfect Game All-American and Futures Game participant, USA Baseball and Jefferson City High School took to social media to congratulate one of their own on Tuesday.

A right handed pitcher and infielder, Martin made nine appearances on the mound for the Jays this spring, going 5-1 with a 1.85 ERA. He allowed 14 runs (8 earned) on 29 hits with 61 strikeouts and 18 walks in 39 innings.

He also set the table at the top of the lineup. Batting leadoff in 35 games, the speedster hit .412 (47-for-114) with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run, 28 RBI and scored 42 runs. He drew 19 walks at the plate and struck out only four times. He also smashed the Jays' record for all-time hits this season, which stood at 122. He broke the mark back in April in a win against Sedalia Smith-Cotton.

A speedster, Martin stole 26 bases in 28 attempts in 2025. In its release, Gatorade said Martin's 3.46 GPA in the classroom also played a factor in his selection.

"Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation's best high school athletes for their success on the field, in the classroom and in the community," Gatorade said in a release. "The award distinguishes Martin as Missouri's best high school baseball player, and he joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs, coaches and star athletes such as Gary Sheffield (1985-86, Hillsborough High School, Florida), Clayton Kershaw (2005-2006, Highland Park High School, Texas) and Konnor Griffin (2023-2024, Jackson Preparatory School, Mississippi)."

We've told you how we feel about Martin, but don't just take it from us.

“On the baseball field, Jordan Martin is fully committed to perfecting his craft,” Kansas City Royals amateur scout Brett Bailey said in a statement. “His demeanor on the field and in the dugout shows a level of competitiveness and maturity well beyond his years. If he continues on this path, I see him playing at the highest level in the future. Most importantly, his work ethic and dedication to being a great teammate are what truly set him up for success.”

That's pretty high praise.

Indeed, Martin's name is already quite legendary around Jefferson City, where he also stars on the basketball court - as we mentioned in the link above. His work in the community also helped earn him the award, as he volunteers with Missouri Special Olympics - which is headquartered in south Jefferson City - and has served as youth coach, which, coupled with his play, has made him quite popular among the youth in town.

Baseball is in Martin's blood. He is the nephew of former Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins third baseman Joe Crede, and cousins with the late Dennis Higgins, a right-handed pitcher who spent parts of seven seasons in the MLB (1966-1972) with four teams: the White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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