Jorge Soler vs. J.D. Martinez: Who is a better fit for the Arizona Diamondbacks?

Final Verdict

It’s hard to say who would provide the most value for the best money. They could both sign very similar contracts, somewhere in the 2-3 year range, with an AAV of around $15-$18 million. Neither really has an advantage here. Even if the years are off by one season, I think they’ll end up making the same or nearly the same on an AAV basis.

Martinez is definitely the more consistent of the two. His lowest wRC+ since his 2014 breakout campaign is 119, which was set in 2022 (excluding the 2020 season). Soler’s 126 wRC+ is the first time he’s put up a wRC+ above 100 since 2019 (again, excluding 2020). Soler’s health is also not the best. He has only played 140+ games twice in his career. Martinez has played at least 110 each season since 2014. Last year, he appeared in 113 games, the fewest since 2013. But he’s probably a much safer bet than Soler to appear in 140+ games next year.

Soler has the edge in age. He is only going into his age-32 campaign, while Martinez is four years older and going into his age-36 season. Martinez is definitely fighting off the aging curve, however, going for a more power-focused approach, even if that comes at the cost of his plate discipline. However, I could see both posting similar numbers next season. Their xwOBAs were both very similar.

It honestly feels like comparing a 1A player to a 1B player. If we are looking at a two-year deal, I think J.D. Martinez will be the better fit. Martinez proved he could change his approach and do much better. But a third year would carry him into his age-38 season. But if we are talking about a third year, Soler will likely be the better candidate. By the time the third year of his contract is up, he would be as old as Martinez is now. I also think Soler has more potential, but Martinez feels like a safer bet.

But I think, in the end, and if I were Mike Hazen, I would pursue Martinez before Soler. He’s a safer bet, there’s some familiarity here, and I think Martinez would agree to a two-year deal. By then, you may see Ivan Melendez or Gino Groover as the potential heir to the DH spot, which is another thing to consider.