The road to college baseball stardom is rarely a straight shot, and for Ryan Martin, it was anything but smooth. Unlike many top prospects who enter recruiting with multiple offers from programs across the country, the power-hitting outfielder from Lassiter High School in Marietta, Georgia, started with just one: a local junior college.

Despite earning All-State honors, First Team All-Region recognition, and preseason All-American accolades throughout the Southeast during his senior year in 2022, Martin’s humble recruiting beginning only sharpened his hunger and fueled the tireless work ethic that would define his rise.

Georgia Highlands, a junior college known for uncovering underrated talent, was the only college program to offer Martin a shot at the next level. Head coach Dash O’Neil vividly remembers the first time he saw Martin—then part of the East Cobb Yankees travel team, a squad Martin played with for several years to gain exposure through various tournaments—and later at a showcase in Waleska, Georgia, hosted by Reinhardt University.

“His bat speed and just strength in his hands and his swing was immediately apparent,” O’Neil said. “He looked the part too. He's always been physical and strong, and the way the ball came off his bat was different than most high school kids.”

The only major question O’Neil saw was Martin’s position. Initially a high school catcher, O’Neil recognized he wasn’t ready for the demands behind the plate at the next level, so he moved him to the outfield shortly after committing—a shift designed to protect his health.

Despite that, O’Neil couldn’t believe how little recruiting attention Martin received. After watching him dominate at the Reinhardt showcase, he expected the offers to pour in. “I was kind of disappointed because I thought, man, now everybody’s gonna be on this kid.” Batting over .350 with plenty of home runs, Martin seemed an obvious catch—though O’Neil wasn’t exactly upset to keep him under the radar.

For Martin, the silence wasn’t a setback—he’d left his college future to chance, and now he was determined to make the most of the one shot he got. In one of his first meetings at Georgia Highlands, he was told bluntly that reaching his goals would demand relentless work. That was all he needed to hear. Fueled by determination, Martin set out to outwork everyone and prove every doubt wrong.

That resolve was tested immediately. He spent his first year as a redshirt while coach O’Neil moved him from behind the plate to the outfield—a complete reset for a lifelong backstop. The adjustment wasn’t glamorous. Long, grinding practices in the Georgia heat, limited perks compared to top programs, and no instant feedback pushed him physically and mentally. But Martin refused to fold.

O’Neil saw the commitment firsthand as Martin embraced the transition, and by summer—when he posted seven extra-base hits and a .755 OPS in 24 games for the Sunbelt Collegiate Summer League—O’Neil was certain of his impact.

“I really did believe he was a middle-of-the-order bat,” O’Neil said. “His work ethic and dedication to his craft made all that happen… right after his redshirt year, I told his dad, ‘Ryan is going to be a good part of what we do next year.’”

But Martin’s redshirt freshman season—his first real taste of college baseball—didn’t unfold exactly as he imagined. Beneath the growing confidence in his game was a tougher battle: mindset and leadership. Early on, he chased individual goals, recruiting attention, and personal stats more than team success. That self-centered approach eventually caught up with him.

After a game where Martin was pulled due to struggles, O’Neil witnessed an emotional, self-directed outburst in the dugout—frustration boiling over from within. The next day, O’Neil summoned Martin for a blunt, no-excuses talk. Martin recalls, “I wasn’t playing well, and I was being a terrible teammate because I was upset I wasn’t in the lineup.” O’Neil didn’t mince words—based on the numbers, Martin hadn’t earned his spot. More importantly, his attitude was hurting the team.

It was a harsh wake-up call.

That conversation became a turning point—one Martin and O’Neil agree reshaped not only his season, but his entire career. The shift was almost overnight: his focus moved from what he could gain to how he could help the team win. He poured more into his teammates, his presence grew louder in the clubhouse, and his voice carried the weight of a leader.

As his mindset evolved, so did his performance and confidence. Now recognizing the talent around him, Martin saw a clear path to the JUCO world series in Grand Junction, and his commitment deepened. In 48 games, he hit .352 with a .779 slugging percentage and 17 home runs, finishing second on the team despite his slow start.

“A lot of people fail in JUCO because they play solely for themselves. They try to get recruited to win. I’ll be the first to admit—that’s what I did that first season,” Martin said. It sucks to admit, but every JUCO player has to realize it’s not about playing for yourself anymore. You’re playing for the team you represent.”

That buy-in reached its peak when the stakes were highest. After a dominant 56-10 season, Georgia Highlands rolled into Grand Junction, riding momentum from back-to-back wins in the first and second round. In a fierce showdown between the final two undefeated teams in the JUCO World Series against Alpine Banks, the Chargers saw their 13–11 lead slip away in the ninth inning. With a leadoff walk placing the winning run on base, Martin stepped up. Two pitches later, he crushed a towering blast into the light pole beyond left field. Game over. Chaos erupted.

A historic season for Georgia Highlands crowned by their redshirt freshman hero.

The walk-off blast wasn’t just thrilling; it was the payoff of relentless work, belief, and transformation. Though the Chargers fell short of the ultimate goal, the foundation was firmly set. Fresh off what O’Neil called the “biggest swing in the history of our program” and armed with renewed understanding of collegiate success, Martin’s path was clear—and from here, it was all uphill.

Martin’s sophomore season was the culmination of his relentless effort. Determined to lead his team back to the stage they had missed, he dominated across 57 games. He posted team-best numbers—a .434 batting average, .548 on-base percentage, and an eye-popping .914 slugging percentage—while smashing 26 home runs and driving in 91 RBIs.

But Martin’s impact went beyond stats. By the end of two years, he had rewritten Georgia Highlands’ record books. He became the program’s all-time leader in home runs and runs scored, ranked second in extra-base hits, and set the best single-season slugging percentage. His 91 RBIs and 26 home runs remain school records, cementing his legacy.

Martin’s statistics spoke for themselves, but his relentless work ethic was what really drew players—from starters to bullpen catchers—to the cage after practice, eager to learn. What set him apart was his generosity with time and advice, mentoring everyone without regard to status. Martin wasn’t just a leader; he sparked a team-wide hunger for excellence.

That season, Georgia Highlands won their second consecutive regional championship, fueled by Martin’s clutch hitting and unwavering influence on the team. His MVP honors at the regional tournament showed his integral role.

After this breakout sophomore campaign, Martin reached a defining milestone in his career. From being overlooked with only a single high school offer, he transformed himself into a player deserving of the spotlight and national attention. On March 28, 2025, he committed to Dallas Baptist University—a powerhouse fresh off a 41-win season, Conference USA title, and NCAA run. This wasn’t just a next step; it was Martin’s arrival as a rising star ready for the national stage.

Martin’s journey echoed Dallas Baptist’s foundation. Head coach Dan Heefner praised junior college transfers as the program’s backbone, saying, “They’ve built our program. They’ve been the foundation—guys that come in with maturity, experience, hunger, and make an immediate impact.” To Heefner, Martin was living proof their blueprint worked.

What stood out wasn’t just his stats—some coaches initially questioned if they were real—but his complete package on and off the field. Staff confirmed his success was no fluke after seeing him play. His polished swing and professional approach stood out, but it was his mindset that truly separated him. Unlike many young players chasing personal milestones, Martin had learned to value winning and the team first.

“He wasn’t like the typical player who talks about himself. All he talked about was the team and how good our team is. When asked about his own performance, he said, ‘I’m having a good year, but I’m just really glad I can help the team out,’” Heefner said of Martin.

Martin said, “Yeah, I want to play pro ball—that’s awesome—but I’m not worried about that right now. I just want to win. I want to be on a team that wins championships and has great teammates.”

To prepare Martin for Division I, assistant coach Kodie Kolden—who manages summer placements—sent him to the prestigious Coastal Plain League, one of the nation’s top collegiate summer circuits, giving him experience with a wooden bat.

Martin made the transition seamlessly. In 19 games, he slashed .397/.468/.779 with six home runs and 14 RBIs, ranking second in average and tied for third in homers, despite playing nearly 20 fewer games than some league leaders.

His performance not only proved he could compete—it showed he could dominate, setting the stage for his arrival in the Cape Cod Baseball League, the pinnacle of collegiate summer baseball.

Kolden played a key role in placing Martin with Brewster.

“We tried to get him in the best situation, and the numbers were absurd in junior college,” Kolden said. “He had unbelievable numbers in junior college and in the Coastal Plains League, which is a top-three wood-bat league in the country. Selling on Martin wasn’t too hard because the numbers spoke for themselves.”

Brewster head coach Jamie Shevchik had been watching Martin since April but initially doubted whether a JUCO player could handle Cape Cod’s level. It wasn’t until Martin’s standout CPL performance that Shevchik decided to take a chance.

Still, Shevchik admitted, “I questioned it. I didn’t know if a JUCO kid could handle it out here, and it took seeing what he did in the Coastal Plains League to say, we’ve got to give this kid a shot. Even then, I questioned it because I didn’t know how it was going to translate out here.”

Proving himself to his coaches and teammates was nothing new for Martin. In his second at-bat with the ‘Caps, he lined a two-RBI double. Then, in only his second start, he crushed a home run over the center field fence in Cotuit. Only then was Shevchik truly relieved: “He’s lived up to his numbers from the Coastal Plains League, and we’re really happy with him.”

That moment was more than a strong start—it capped a journey through junior college, where Martin was forged into the resilient player he is today. JUCO wasn’t a detour but a proving ground, and after being tested in the Cape, he’s ready to carry those lessons wherever the game leads.

“I’m excited for the chance to get my name out there and show I can perform at the next level,” Martin said.

Title photo credit: Casey Bayne.