Tyler Martin isn’t ready to turn the page just yet.
Driven by both legacy and opportunity, Martin wants to continue his family’s tradition in baseball — while carving out his own story along the way.
“I don’t want to look back when I’m 34 and say, ‘What if?’” said Martin, the son of Mike Martin Jr. and grandson of legendary Florida State baseball coach Mike Martin. “I’m only 24. I still have plenty of time to keep developing and getting better. There’s no reason not to pursue what I’ve been doing since I could walk.”
The former Chiles High and FSU infielder (2020-22) who played for his father with the Seminoles has returned to the Frontier League, where he was one of 50 players selected out of the league’s playoff camp and draft. The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with 18 teams across the Midwestern/Northeastern United States and Canada.
Martin, signed by the Joliet Slammers as a second baseman, arrived In Illinois on Thursday, April 23, after an 18 1/2-hour drive over two days from the Bradenton area. The league’s season opens May 7.
Tyler Martin finally healthy following labrum surgery
Martin was raised, quite literally, in FSU’s dugout.
His father, Mike Martin Jr., played and coached at FSU under his own father, the late Mike Martin — a figure synonymous with Seminoles baseball for nearly five decades. Mike Martin spent 47 years with the program as a player, assistant coach and head coach, retiring in 2019 as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history across all sports. He was succeeded in the dugout by Martin Jr.
Mike Martin died in 2024 at the age of 79.
Tyler enjoyed a steady career at FSU, where the left-handed hitter enrolled early from Chiles before being plagued by a labrum injury that required surgery. A freshman All-American in 2020 after hitting .310 and reaching base at a .481 clip, both second on the team, Martin batted .280 in 2021. He returned in 2022 following offseason surgery, but was still bothered by discomfort and played in 26 games.
When FSU’s administration chose not to renew his father’s contract for a fourth year, Martin’s path shifted. He eventually left Tallahassee for Bradenton, stepped away from the game, and eventually returned with a healthy shoulder and renewed passion for baseball with training help from, among others, former FSU All-American John-Ford Griffin.
“It took time to where I could finally throw a baseball on a line repeatedly without significant pain,” said Martin, who worked full time with a home‑remodeling company, grinding through long days while training whenever possible. “I just needed the proper time to heal and get right.”
After a commitment to Kennesaw State fell through due to admission logistics, Martin returned in 2025 at Georgia Gwinnett College. He hit .351 and started 44 of the 45 games. Martin then signed professionally with Ottawa of the Frontier League, where he appeared in eight games and hit .315.
“At that point, I told myself I’d play men’s league if I had to,” Martin said. “I was really exited to get back to it, and I had to find somewhere to play.”
Martin’s baseball dream, of course, stretches back generations.
“My granddad always told me to chase it,” he said. “I know it would make him proud. There’s still that 8‑year‑old kid inside me screaming, ‘Keep going.’ I still love it. When I close my eyes, that’s all I think about — doing what I was born to do: play baseball.”
Martin is also quick to credit his faith for helping guide him back to the game.
“God is so good. I give Him all the glory,” he said. “Five months after surgery? Ten months? They told me there was no chance I’d still be playing. But here I am. I’m a believer, and I fear Him.”
Even now, gratitude remains constant. Just days ago, after learning he had been drafted, Martin was still training — and still taking a moment to reflect.
“I just stopped and thought about how thankful I am to still be chasing this game,” Martin said.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A healthy Tyler Martin chasing baseball dreams in Frontier League
Reporting by Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
