Twins prospect Austin Martin shut down due to UCL sprain

Twins prospect Austin Martin has been shut down with a sprained UCL, according to 'The Athletic'’s Aaron Gleeman. It is not immediately known when he might be able to return to the field.

UCL sprains can sometimes be precursors to more serious elbow issues and have a history of cropping up around eventual Tommy John surgery candidates. Should the young shortstop prospect require a surgical procedure on that level, he would likely be ruled out for the entirety of the upcoming season.

Martin, 23, was initially drafted by the Blue Jays with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft. He later found his way to the Twins in the trade which sent Jose Berrios to Toronto.  

A once highly-regarded prospect, Martin nearly cracked the top-20 of MLB.com’s Top 100 prospects list in 2021 but has yet to come into his own in the lower minor leagues.

Any long-term injury concern would offer a roadblock to his development toward the big league stage.