Today was in the Cubs’ bullpen hoping to close a World Series Game 3 victory at Wrigley Field on Friday night. Tomorrow was in Scottsdale, Ariz., with the Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League.
In the baseball universe, the World Series and the AFL are at opposite ends. Yet, Aroldis Chapman and Gleyber Torres were in those positions after switching organizations.
Dealt for each other this past July, the aspirin-throwing Chapman was brought to Chicago to help the Cubs win a World Series. They were tied 1-1 with the Indians going into Friday night’s Game 3.
Torres, a 19-year-old shortstop with more tools than Mr. Goodwrench, was the headliner in the Cubs-Yankees swap.
Unless everybody who has watched Torres is wrong, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound native of Caracas, Venezuela, will play in the big leagues. And many predict he will play well.
If a small sample of eight games in the AFL can be used as a measuring stick, Torres is laying down a solid foundation. Going into Friday’s action against the Surprise Saguaros, Torres was hitting .375 (10-for-28) with three homers, seven RBIs, a 1.221 OPS and a .471 on-base percentage.
“He was 19 and so young for the Florida State League (Single-A), and he is the youngest player in the Arizona Fall League,’’ GM Brian Cashman said of the right-handed-hitting Torres, who hit a combined .270 with 11 homers, 66 RBIs, an OPS of .775 and an on-base percentage of .775 in 125 games for Myrtle Beach and Tampa this past season. “He is performing at that age, and that is exciting.’’
When the Cubs refused to move Kyle Schwarber, the Yankees focused on Torres when talking to the Cubs, who believed they were a closer away from being in position to win the franchise’s first World Series title since 1908.
“He was a must-have from the Cubs,’’ Cashman said of Torres, who hit .254 with two homers, 19 RBIs, a .726 OPS and a .341 on-base-percentage in 31 games for Tampa. “He is someone you can dream on.’’
At this stage, dreaming is the only way to go. No matter how well Torres finishes in the AFL, he turns 20 in December and has played 132 games at High-A level, so there is room for development to continue.
According to Baseball America, Torres is the Yankees’ top prospect. Outfielder Clint Frazier, obtained from the Indians in the Andrew Miller trade, is ranked second.
A return to Tampa for Torres is possible, but he could muscle his way to Double-A Trenton at some point next summer. The Yankees also have shortstop Jorge Mateo, ranked fourth by Baseball America, likely headed for Trenton. He is playing for Toros del Este in the Dominican Republic. Mateo, 20, played some second base at Tampa this season and briefly appeared in center field during the Instructional League.
Having Carlos Mendoza, a Yankees minor league field coordinator on the Scottsdale staff, as the hitting coach has enabled the Yankees to get a solid look at Torres. And major league third base coach Joe Espada will spend a week working with Torres.