BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — When people see La Joya High sophomore Jonathan Martinez play, they see his elite talent.
But Martinez is not the type to hog the spotlight. Instead, the most important word for him in or out of baseball is “family.”
Martinez wears jersey No. 85 for La Joya (12-5, 1-1 in District 30-6A). That’s been his number of choice since he first had the chance to pick at 4 or 5 years old.
“My uncle used to be a receiver for the La Joya Coyotes, and he wore No. 85,” Martinez said. “Wearing that number on my back, it means family to me. I feel like there is an angel helping me play and helping me to do my best on and off the field.”
Jonathan Martinez’s uncle Joey Martinez passed away in a car accident when Jonathan was very young.
“He would take care of me when I was little,” Martinez said. “I have memories of him watching me.”
Ever since, Martinez has not stepped on the field without taking 85, and his family, with him.
That word, family, goes even deeper for Martinez.
Many of the current Coyotes grew up playing together. Seniors Ray Alaniz and Julian Castillo have been teammates since they were 5.
“Growing up, all our weekends would be dedicated to baseball,” Castillo said about he and Alaniz. “To this day, it feels very natural to be on the field together.”
Martinez has also played with most of his teammates, including Castillo and Alaniz, since he was little. Martinez said traveling with the Coyotes feels more like a family road trip than a team trip.
“We are all close, even the coaches. We are all together,” Martinez said. “We all play together. We live near each other. We have all been playing together since we were small. It’s just like family to me.”
Just like any family, the Coyotes have roles. Alaniz or his double-play partner, junior shortstop Anthony Peña, get to pick the tunes. Alaniz has a handshake with everyone on the team.
“It’s amazing, honestly,” Martinez said. “We are all clowns together. We do a lot of crazy stuff, just having fun.”
The Coyotes are not just a fun and close family. They are good at baseball, too.
Martinez is a third baseman and pitcher. His most consistent pitch, his fastball, is at least a very appropriate 85 mph most days, but he can hit the low 90s. He also has several off-speed offerings that continue to improve.
“It takes a lot of focus to pitch in high school,” Martinez said. “You can’t just throw the ball anywhere, because everyone is a good hitter. So, you have to hit your spots and work on location. It’s tough to pitch.”
Castillo is a power-hitting first baseman who bats cleanup. Last year, Castillo was the designated hitter for much of the year, but during his senior season, he couldn’t miss the chance to step between the white lines every inning.
“He has been doing well,” La Joya skipper Mario Flores said. “He has a lot of pop in his bat. Hopefully, he gets even better in district.”
Alaniz and Peña hold down the middle of the defense. Alaniz was the 30-6A Defensive MVP last season. This year, Alaniz is focused on upping his offensive production.
“I was working really hard this summer,” Alaniz said. “Almost every day, I went to the cages. I woke up at 8 in the morning to go work with the trainer.”
Carlos De Leon has also sacrificed for the betterment of his game, and the team’s potential. Senior Irving Garcia was a contributor for the Coyotes last year, but he decided not to play in 2018.
“I know Irving was a big loss,” Flores said. “I needed outfielders. We put (De Leon) in right field, and he has been doing a heck of a job. That is one of the big changes that we made.”
De Leon, a senior, has the speed and arm strength to be a quality corner outfielder, but a recent breakthrough has brought his game to another level.
“I have gotten in a lot of reps,” De Leon said. “The bunny hop is what I am trying to practice. Because I have been side stepping. I tried the bunny hop, and that has been working good.”
De Leon has good range in right and combines with junior center fielder JR Rodriguez, who is a dynamo on defense, to keep balls from dropping in the La Joya outfield.
Martinez’s family, both blood and diamond, knows what he wants everyone else to know about his team.
“We are very hardworking,” he said. “We are a group of brothers that are working hard and doing our best to represent La Joya.”