The MLB All-Star Break is officially over, as all 30 teams will hit the field on Friday to begin the playoff push.
The Houston Astros, who finished 4-6 in their last 10 games before the break, will hope to start the second half with a road win over the Seattle Mariners. While everyone prepares to return to the ballpark, players in the majors and minors are pondering their futures with the trade deadline on the horizon.
Some of these prospects or veterans will be sent packing to a different team, while others will be DFA’d to make room for new players.
For one former Astros pitcher, he was recently designated for assignment, not because of the pending trade deadline. However, he’s hoping to find a better opportunity with a new team.
Former Astros Pitcher Corbin Martin Heads into Free Agency After Being DFA’d
According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, the Baltimore Orioles announced that former Houston hurler Corbin Martin has elected free agency after turning down an outright assignment to return to the Triple-A affiliate (Norfolk Tides).
#Orioles announce RHP Corbin Martin has elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) July 17, 2025
The 29-year-old right-handed pitcher was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Sunday and had cleared waivers. Martin appeared in one game with the Orioles, which was on July 2, where he threw a scoreless 1 ⅓ innings against the Texas Rangers.
The rest of Martin’s appearances have come at Triple-A Norfolk, where he posted a 5.29 ERA in 29 games (1 start). The ex-Astro has been in the Orioles’ organization since May 2024.
Martin started his MLB career with the Astros, who took him in the second round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. As a second-round pick, the right-handed pitcher was viewed as a top-100 prospect.
Martin didn’t live up to the moniker of being a top-100 prospect, as he struggled in his first five starts during the 2019 season. He had a 1-1 record and a 5.59 ERA.
The former second-round pick didn’t spend a long time in the Astros’ organization. Martin had Tommy John surgery in July 2019 and was traded weeks later to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Zack Greinke deal.
Since the trade, the veteran reliever has played with three different teams – the Diamondbacks, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Orioles. Martin will likely add a fourth team in the coming days, as there’s always a need for pitching at the major and minor league levels.