One of the top two way talents in Missouri, Francis Howell North 3B/RHP Braxton Martinez (right), recently made his committment to St. Louis University. As a junior in 2011, Martinez hit .522 with 10 homeruns, 48 RBIS and a .933 slugging percentage. We caught up with Braxton recently to talk about his committment.

PBR: Which schools were you considering prior to committing to the St. Louis University?

Martinez: West Point, Western Kentucky, Murray State and South Alabama.

PBR: What were the reasons that you ultimately chose SLU?

Martinez: Education, coaching, and it is close to home with a beautiful campus. 

PBR: What was the relationship you had with Coach Hendrickson in the recruitment process?

Martinez: Coach Hendrickson is a very nice guy and his approach was no pressure on me what so ever to make a decision, no deadlines, no pressure calls, etc.  The Coaching Staff seems very supportive and welcoming.  The staff with Coach Hendrickson made it very easy to talk to and ask all the questions I had.

PBR: As one of Missouri’s top two-way talents, has the SLU coaching staff indicated whether they would like to use you as strictly a position player or pitcher? Or do they seem open to a two-way role?

Martinez: They want me to strictly come in and compete for third and if pitching happened to fall in place then we would go from there to figure out what their needs may be.

PBR: Considering that your high school team (Howell North) lost several key players in seniors Chris Volpo and Mike Wilson, what is the team’s collective mindset headed into the season?

Martinez: Our team knows we lost some very talented seniors but we are very confident and hard-working.  I believe our senior class is very talented and the upcoming juniors will help the team a lot.  Everyone has put a lot of time in to be a great team and I think it's going to show this coming season.

PBR: Do you feel that playing in St. Louis and facing the competition you do has prepared you to be a DI player?

Martinez: Yes, all the traveling and playing teams across the country with amazing talents has made me realize I need to work harder and always try to get better and I think it has prepared me to be a D1 player.

PBR: What are your thoughts on the implementation of BBCOR bats from a hitting and pitching perspective?

Martinez: I feel as the upcoming BBCOR bats will be only a small adjustment to make, pitchers will obviously have the advantage but good hitters will still be able to hit so it should be interesting to see how it plays out.

PBR: What team did you play for over the summer and how did it go for you? Were there any aspects of your game that you wanted to improve during the summer?

Martinez: Team Mizuno Midwest.  Yes, I worked on my speed and agility and my overall arm strength.  The summer went great, we worked hard and it showed.  Fall I will be playing with the St. Louis Sting.  Currently, I'm playing with the Cincinnati Reds Scout Team.

PBR: As you head into your senior year, is it good to have the commitment and recruiting process done?

Martinez: Yes, I feel like a huge weight is off my shoulders and now I can just focus on helping my high school team with no distractions.

PBR: Do you feel that this season will be any different considering that you know where you’ll attend college?

Martinez: No, I still have the same competiveness to win and with the great group of guys on my high school team I don't think anything will be different.

PBR: What do you hope to accomplish in this upcoming season, both individually and as a team?

Martinez: Individually I just want to be the best player I can possibly be and compete day in and day out.  As a team, I want to have a good season and with the dedication we have and the friendships we share, that should be no problem.