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A South Florida native will be the starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series. Nick Martinez, who honed his skills at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, will get the nod as the Rays open the Fall Classic on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Martinez's baseball journey began at a young age, and he played shortstop for the Belen Jesuit Wolverines from middle school through high school. Willie García-Tun, the school's president, recalled Martinez expressing his ambition to play baseball at the college level. However, García-Tun admitted he wasn't entirely convinced Martinez would reach such heights. "I remember looking at this skinny, scrawny little kid who played shortstop, thinking to myself: Is he going to be able to make it?" García-Tun said.
That scrawny shortstop has since developed into the Rays' choice to set the tone in Game 1 of the 2026 World Series. Martinez's mindset is clear: "My job is to just rack up as many outs as we can and keep us in the ball game," he said. His selection marks a historic first for Belen Jesuit: Martinez is not only the first pitcher from the school to appear in a World Series but the first alumnus to reach the Fall Classic at all.
García-Tun expressed immense pride: "Proud that he is the first Belen alumnus to be playing in the World Series." Martinez's time at Belen peaked when he helped the Wolverines reach a state championship as a junior. Teachers who knew him, including some former classmates, remember him as humble and kind. "He's someone you can depend on, someone that just made things fun, made things exciting," said English teacher Matthew Jordan. "He was always just a good person and a good friend to have." Juan Vazquez, social studies department chairperson, added, "To be the starting pitcher in the World Series game, that has to be fantastic. What a feeling."
Martinez has carried the lessons from Belen throughout his life. In an alumni video promoting the school, he said, "I believe Belen's ultimate mission here is to forge men and to be someone that anyone can count on, and that starts with accountability." Now, he aims to help the Rays capture their first World Series title.
His journey has already inspired the next generation of Belen players. "As a left-handed pitcher myself, I really do look up to him and I know all the guys on the team really do as well," said Belen Jesuit pitcher Ernesto Diaz. Jon Michael Quijano, another Belen pitcher, added, "To see someone, not only just from Miami, from our school pitch at the biggest stage in the biggest game, it's just so inspiring."
The Rays face the Brewers, who are also seeking their first World Series championship, on Friday night at 8 p.m. Coverage begins on WSVN Channel 7 at 7 p.m.
Originally reported by wsvn.