Maloney, who spent 18 months at Villa Park, caught the eye as goals from Ivan Ramis, Emmerson Boyce and Arouna Kone earned the Latics a much-needed 3-0 win.
Martinez said: "Shaun Maloney is one of the most gifted players you can see in this league.
"He has a good eye for a pass but other than that he has moved to a different level.
"His performance against Villa was of the highest, highest level.
"This season is a reflection of what he did last season. I hope he gets a lot of recognition as he deserves all the credit.
"Maloney is a fine professional and a massive asset to Wigan."
