Gleyber Torres to tackle three positions in minors
New York Yankees' Gleyber Torres runs to the dugout after signing autographs for fans ahead of a spring training baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in Clearwater, Fla. Credit: AP / Matt Rourke
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Gleyber Torres will start his minor-league season on the move.
Constantly.
The 20-year-old, who impressed just about everyone inside and outside the Yankees organization this spring, will play three different positions for Double-A Trenton, where he will begin the year.
Trenton manager Bobby Mitchell told reporters at the team’s media day Tuesday that the right-handed hitting Torres, one of the top prospects in the sport, will rotate between games at shortstop, third base and second. The plan is three games at short — Torres’ most familiar position — followed by two games at third and two games at second before giving him the eighth day off.
“I think he’ll be just fine,” Joe Girardi said. “As a shortstop today, you almost play two positions anyway, a lot of times with shifts. So we’re adding third base. I don’t anticipate it being a problem. I’m sure there’s some growing pains but I’m sure he’ll handle it fine.”
Torres handled just about everything thrown his way in the spring better than fine. He played mostly short and second and took grounders during workouts at third. He displayed ability in the field but impressed most with his bat, producing a .448/.469/.931 slash line in 19 games before being sent out to minor-league camp.
“He’s got plenty of arm to play third,” one opposing team scout said. “And he’s going to hit like crazy, which will keep him in the lineup wherever. He knows what the hell [he’s] doing at-bat.”
Another opposing team scout said he might project the 6-1, 175-pound Torres long term as a second baseman because of his thicker legs and “low center of gravity.”
“Right now I like him as a shortstop but his body might not allow him to stick there,” the scout said.
A third talent evaluator said what has almost universally been said to this point about Torres, whom the Yankees won’t rush this season but whom they won’t hold back either should performance dictate a swift move through the system.
“With that bat,” the scout said, “I think he’ll be fine anywhere.”
Schedule change
Because of bad weather being forecast for the Northeast, righthander Chad Green and lefthander Jordan Montgomery, still competing for the fifth starter spot along with righty Luis Cessa, will both pitch For High-A Tampa Thursday night. Green and Montgomery had been scheduled to start games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Trenton, respectively.
Righty James Kaprielian, among the top pitching prospects in the organization, originally was scheduled to start Thursday night for Tampa but now will pitch Friday.
