Orelvis Martinez was a Top-100 prospect from 2022-24, but at 24 years old, his stock has taken a major hit. Now out of the organization, could he return on a minor league deal? It's possible.

The Toronto Blue Jays made the shocking decision to designate for assignment - and then release - former Top 100 prospect Orelvis Martinez this week.

It's a stunning fall for Martinez, who was ranked as the No. 51 prospect in the game by Baseball America as recently as 2023. He was hitting just .176 this season at Triple-A Buffalo.

So, what happened?

In addition to his 2023 Baseball America ranking, Martinez was ranked as the No. 38 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline in 2022, and was at No. 89 in 2024, so this is truly a surprising development.

Martinez hit .267 in Triple-A in 2024 with 17 home runs and 49 RBIs, and he even played one major league game, but his season was derailed by a PED suspension.

You can't say with certainty that PEDs accounted for his solid prior performances, but it's clear that he wasn't the same this season following the suspension. His .176 average was accompanied with a .288 on-base percentage. He had 13 home runs and 32 RBIs. He struck out 112 times.

So, what's next?

Well, now that he's released, Martinez is free to find a new home in free agency. Perhaps a rebuilding team will give him a flier for the rest of the season, or perhaps he'd rather wait until the offseason when he can properly survey where organization's are at and how his opportunities will manifest. He's still just 24 years old and brings positional flexibility as a second baseman and a third baseman. Given his former prospect status, it's easy to imagine him getting another shot.

As for the Blue Jays, they could attempt to bring him back also, as was noted by MLBTradeRumors:

The Jays could look to bring Martinez back on a minor league contract. That is fairly common in situations where a team DFAs and subsequently releases an injured minor leaguer. Martinez will have the ability to look elsewhere in free agency, though, and it’s possible a change of scenery is ideal given the way his career has gone over the past year-plus.

The Blue Jays right now

Toronto is 88-62 and in first place in the American League East. They lead the New York Yankees by five games and are seeking their first division title since 2015.

They'll play the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday at 7:35 p.m. ET.