Hoechlin appeared in commercials as a baby, which he discovered at the age of eight. This led him to successfully audition at an acting school, and obtain an agent. His first role, at the age of 11, was in Happy Haunting, a Disney Sing-Along Songs video. At the age of 13, Hoechlin was selected from 2000 auditionees to play Michael Sullivan, Jr. in Road to Perdition alongside Tom Hanks. Hoechlin was nominated for multiple awards for the role, and won both the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor and the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor. That performance led to him getting the role of Martin Brewer in the television show 7th Heaven in 2003. Initially booked for a two-episode arc, he became a recurring character for the rest of the season. Hoechlin was nominated for a 2004 Teen Choice Award for Breakout Male Star for the role, and remained a regular character for the following four years, amassing further nominations for a Teen Choice Award and a Young Artist Award. The show worked around Hoechlin's baseball schedule, filming on days he did not have practice or a match, throughout high school and his first year of college.