DUNEDIN, Fla. — Russell Martin sat on a bench outside the Toronto Blue Jays’ spring training clubhouse one recent afternoon, his gaze distracted by a pickup soccer game on the outfield grass involving Jose Bautista, Munenori Kawasaki and a few other players.

An agile, all-around athlete, Martin was eager to try out his footwork with his newest teammates. But first he wanted to reflect on one of his old Yankees buddies, a player who he felt had unknowingly pushed him to another level as a major league catcher at a point in his career when that no longer seemed realistic.

Martin, 32, last played in the Bronx in 2012. But images of his two years in pinstripes still flicker through his mind, even as he wears a royal blue jersey with a red maple leaf logo on his chest.

For Martin, the Yankees memories include big home runs, playoff games in October and, most of all, the impact of playing with Derek Jeter.