Get to know Gleyber Torres
Myrtle Beach Pelicans shortstop Gleyber Torres on defense against the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark on April 18, 2016 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Credit: AP / Brian Westerholt
The biggest chip the Yankees acquired from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Aroldis Chapman, Gleyber Torres is a 19-year-old shortstop from Venezuela. He was listed at 6-1, 175 pounds before the 2016 season.
Torres was signed by the Chicago Cubs in 2013 in a deal that included a $1.7-million bonus, arriving in the United States at 17.
He trained with Ciro Barrios, who also coached Franklin Barreto before he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for $1.45 million in 2012, as an amateur.
Gleyber was ranked as the top prospect in the Cubs’ organization by Baseball America at the start of the season and is ranked among the top 25 prospects in all of baseball by mlb.com
Baseball America lists his arm on defense and his solid approach at the plate as his strengths, with his lack of power and aggressiveness at the plate and on the basepaths as areas which require improvement.
“Torres has four above-average to plus tools, with only power lagging behind — but give him time,” John Manuel of Baseball America said. “He combines those tools with a gamer’s mentality and a feel for the game on both sides of the ball.”
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