The MLB All-Star break is scheduled to begin on Monday, and several Houston Astros stars will be heading down to Atlanta, GA, for the Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Game. However, before the festivities begin, teams around the majors are doing some last-minute house cleaning on their 26 and 40-man rosters.
Some players are getting called up to the majors, as we saw the Astros do earlier this week with top prospect Brice Matthews. Meanwhile, other players were sadly optioned back to the minors or DFA’d.
One former Astros pitcher fell into the second category (DFA’d), as he’ll be searching for a new opportunity likely after the All-Star break wraps up.
Ex-Astros Reliever Corbin Martin Sent Packing by Baltimore Orioles
On Sunday, the Baltimore Orioles announced that they had designated former Astros reliever Corbin Martin for assignment.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/uSEiiqQ7a1
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 13, 2025
The 29-year-old Martin only appeared in one game with the Orioles, as he spent most of this season at Triple-A Norfolk (5.29 ERA across 29 relief appearances).
In fact, the former Astros second-round pick has been with the Orioles’ organization since May 2024, when he was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Meanwhile, Martin’s time with the Astros began in 2017 when the organization took him in the second round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. The right-handed pitcher eventually made his major league debut with the Stros during the 2019 season as a starter.
Martin made five starts for Houston, posting a 1-1 record and 5.59 ERA. He allowed 23 hits, 14 runs (12 earned), 12 walks, eight home runs, while only landing 19 strikeouts in 19.1 innings.
That was the last time Astros fans saw him with the big league club. Martin underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2019 and was traded in a blockbuster deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks ahead of the deadline in exchange for starting pitcher Zack Greinke.
Since his exit from Houston in 2019, Martin has spent three years with the Diamondbacks and parts of the last two with the Brewers and Orioles.
The former Astros top-100 prospect didn’t do so great with the Orioles in the minors, but the good news for him is that teams are always looking for pitching. Baltimore will have a chance to trade Martin now, or if he gets through waivers unclaimed, he might elect free agency.