Former Dodgers Catcher Gains Hall of Fame Induction This Weekend

It isn't Cooperstown, but former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin is being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday.

“It’s a life’s work achievement,” Martin said after he was elected in February. “I’m definitely grateful to be in the company with the other greats that have been around the game of baseball in Canada. Just honored.”

Martin was born in East York, Ontario, before moving to Montreal when he was two. He learned to love baseball there and joined the Canadian Junior National Team in 2017 before he was selected by the Dodgers in the 17th round of the 2002 MLB Draft.

By 2006, Martin took over the starting catcher role. The following season, he was named an All-Star, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove Award winner becoming the third catcher in franchise history to win the Gold Glove. He was a two-time All-Star during his seven-year career with the Dodgers.

Martin played six seasons with the Dodgers — from 2006–10 and then again in 2019 to finish out his 14-year Major League career.

He is arguably the greatest Candian-born catcher to ever play in Major League Baseball. He ranks sixth all-time in hits (1,416), RBIs (771), and doubles (255), and seventh all-time in stolen bases (101) and home runs hit by a Canada-born player. He's first in all of those categories as a catcher.