Former Cardinals coffee hound finishes off a well-brewed career

When St. Louis Cardinals fans think of Jose Martinez, smiles almost invariably cross their faces. One of the most energetic and enthusiastic members of the Cardinals in the 2010s, Martinez brought passion and energy to the team's clubhouse and wielded a formidable stick at the plate. Now, after 19 professional seasons, five of which were spent in the major leagues, Martinez has decided to call it a career.

Jose Martinez has announced his retirement from baseball.

Martinez held a clear passion for the sport, as he embarked on a journey comprising 887 minor league games with 11 different teams before finally getting his shot. Martinez's major league career began after the Cardinals picked him up off the scrap heap, purchasing his contract from the Kansas City Royals early in the 2016 season, and his first full year with the Cardinals in 2017 was a smashing success, as he was one of the top hitters on the team, holding a .309 average and an .897 OPS while swatting 14 home runs. He was nearly as effective in 2018, hitting .305 with an .821 OPS and 17 long balls.

There was never a question about Martinez's ability at the plate, but defense was much more of a challenge, as he was 22 defensive runs saved below average in the outfield for his career and four below average at first base.

He emerged as a fan favorite with his escapades, including hurling balls into the upper deck of Busch Stadium to unsuspecting fans and creating signature handshakes for different teammates. But perhaps the most well known of his endeavors involved his favorite beverage.

Martinez's nickname of "Cafe" came from his father, former major league player Carlos Martinez (unrelated to the former Cardinals pitcher of the same name), who also went by the moniker. But Jose's more noteworthy nickname was "Cafecito" — "little coffee." In 2019, he lived up to the name, creating his own brand of coffee, "Primos," which earned a thumbs-up from Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright.

Martinez, who hailed from Venezuela, has always been proud of his heritage, even owning a sleeve that brandished the Venezuelan flag and the words "Venezuelan pride," and after playing with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs, Martinez returned home to play in the Venezuelan Winter League as well as the Colombian Winter League and the Mexican League. Across those countries from 2022 to 2024, he continued to show his adeptness with the bat even as he entered his mid-30s, hitting well over .300 each of those seasons and holding a .299 average in 2025.

The Cardinals were a better team because of Martinez, not just through his production but also from his always jovial and upbeat clubhouse presence. After spending almost two decades playing the sport he loves at a high level, it's fair to say that the former Cardinals coffee entrepreneur was good to the last drop.