Luis Torrens Has Arrived, Only a Few Years Late

If, like me, you’re a bizarre baseball transactions sicko, you in all probability first heard of Luis Torrens on the tail finish of 2016. That’s when the Padres, within the midst of an A.J. Preller-led teardown, shocked baseball by taking three low-minors gamers within the Rule 5 Draft and placing all of them on the main league roster for 2017. It was a daring, unprecedented tactic. The three gamers – Allen Córdoba, Miguel Díaz, and Torrens – have been clearly not prepared for the majors. Torrens, probably the most superior of the trio, was 21 and had round 200 plate appearances of full-season minor league ball beneath his belt, and he was nonetheless studying his new place of catcher.

That trio was famously overmatched in 2017. Torrens racked up -1.3 WAR in 139 plate appearances, Córdoba -1.0 WAR in 227 of his personal, and Diaz -0.7 WAR in 41 2/3 innings pitched. The entire experiment was a humiliation for the league, and nobody has since tried comparable chicanery. The Padres despatched them down after the season, as quickly as they have been eligible to take action with out having to return them to their earlier organizations; Torrens and Córdoba spent all of 2018 within the minors, and each struggled in A Ball. Torrens did lastly return to the majors as a backup in 2019, however Preller flipped him to Seattle a 12 months later and he slid into journeyman standing. From 2019 via 2023, he bounced round, hardly ever getting constant enjoying time, ending up with 668 plate appearances, a 92 wRC+, and -0.4 WAR because of iffy protection.

I’ve used what San Diego did on this specific Rule 5 Draft as a cautionary story when individuals ask me concerning the dangers of dashing low-level minor leaguers to The Present. I firmly consider that this Rule 5 manipulation interrupted every of their profession arcs – they only weren’t prepared for the problem, which is hardly surprising given the place they’d been enjoying. Every was a promising prospect, however within the six years after the Padres chosen them, the period of time you’d count on them to be beneath workforce management, they mixed for -3.2 WAR.

With all of that as background info, it was one thing of a shock to see Torrens flip right into a viable backup catcher. In 2024, he caught on with the Mets and put collectively a stable, although transient, marketing campaign. He displayed the cannon arm that introduced him early headlines as an expert and framed pitches effectively, in addition. They stored him round as their major backup heading into 2025, which brings us to this text.

See, Torrens isn’t enjoying like a backup proper now. Since becoming a member of the Mets, he’s regarded like a starter, with a 103 wRC+ and glorious defensive metrics over about half a season of enjoying time (84 video games, 238 plate appearances). Unusual path to the majors apart, might he really be the sort of participant that his prospect standing as soon as portended? Let’s look into his present kind with a recent eye and see if this seems actual and sustainable.

I’ll begin, as is correct for a catcher, with protection. Torrens discovered catching at a comparatively superior age and tore his labrum as an adolescent, lacking developmental time in consequence. When he hit the majors, he was extraordinarily uncooked, however scouts praised his athleticism and arm and thought he’d be a plus defender given a standard developmental path. And whereas that “regular developmental path” didn’t occur, you’ll be able to see what these scouts have been speaking about while you watch Torrens play protection in the present day.

First, there’s the receiving. He was not good at it when he debuted, to place it mildly. However presenting pitches as strikes is a talent discovered slowly via repetition, and Torrens has constantly improved. Relying on which of the galaxy of catcher protection approximations you wish to belief, he’s both common or simply above common as a receiver, and he’s significantly good at getting low strikes. This might come proper out of a catching textbook:

Likewise, Torrens was new to the distinctive motions related to blocking pitches within the grime and snaring wild fastballs when he first hit the main leagues. From 2019 via 2022, Statcast had him down as blocking 20 fewer pitches than a mean catcher would’ve stopped, and I concur with their evaluation, at the very least in magnitude if not in precise quantity. (I’m not watching all these movies to seek out out.) It received so dangerous that the Mariners used Torrens at DH as an alternative of catcher in 2021.

But once more, although, he appears to have discovered. From 2019-22, he was about six blocks beneath common per 1,000 block alternatives. That’s terrible, to be trustworthy. We’re speaking worst-in-majors-level work on the market. Shea Langeliers and Francisco Alvarez, the 2 worst blocking catchers in 2024 per Statcast, have been barely much less dangerous of their horrid defensive seasons than Torrens had been throughout that early-career span. However Torrens has labored on his craft right here, too. He’s nonetheless not good, however he’s gotten much better. Numbers-wise, he’s been two blocks beneath common per 1,000 alternatives, garden-variety beneath common as an alternative of catastrophic.

Even when he was barely sticking round within the majors, Torrens had a giant arm, the clearest plus software on his scouting report. And he’s grown into that arm, to place it frivolously. Over the previous two years, he’s the fourth-best catcher by way of caught stealing above common. That’s whole instances caught stealing above common, not a charge statistic, and he spent all of 2024 and a few of 2025 as a part-time participant. In different phrases, he’s outrageously good at this talent. Torrens and Freddy Fermin stand excessive above the remainder within the majors in terms of stopping steals; they’re catching would-be thieves on greater than 45% of their makes an attempt. No different catcher is above even 35%. Don’t run on Luis, otherwise you’ll remorse it.

You’ll discover that makes Torrens a fairly good defender general. He’s a plus receiver, a very powerful class. He’s an affordable, below-average blocker, definitely not outdoors the norm for a significant league starter. And he’s among the finest running-game controllers in baseball, combining a giant arm with a quick switch and good accuracy.

I’m not shocked that Torrens is sweet in any respect of these items. Learn scouting experiences from his pre-Padres days, and also you’ll see loads of reward for his long-term match on the place. One factor these experiences don’t learn like is the outline of a catcher about to play main league video games. Right here’s previous pal Dan Farnsworth’s estimation of Torrens from our 2016 Yankees Prospects listing, 9 months earlier than the Padres chosen the catcher and took him to the main leagues: “Nonetheless comparatively new to catching, his talent work wants a pair years to achieve its potential behind the plate, however he confirmed an excellent knack for receiving and had a plus arm.”

I’m able to consider that Torrens has grown into that potential. The information are compelling, and catcher protection is a high-frequency occasion, so I’m faster to belief the statistics there. I’m additionally keen to consider it as a result of Torrens passes the attention check; he seems clean on the market, and also you undoubtedly can’t pretend his nostril for catching would-be basestealers. That newfound defensive means means Torrens may have a giant league job so long as he can maintain his present degree behind the dish. Each workforce might use a backup together with his array of abilities. Hitting is optionally available for a part-time catcher; protection just isn’t. However Torrens is likely to be a greater than that.

Please don’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to Torrens’ top-10 barrel charge throughout your entire main leagues. That may provide the unsuitable concept of his potential as a hitter. He’s scorching, little question, however I’m nearer to believing his precise outcomes statistics than one top-level Statcast quantity right here. Let’s begin with these, then: In his two seasons in Queens, he’s hitting .244/.319/.390, good for a 103 wRC+, with 17 doubles and 4 homers. He’s hanging out 22.3% of the time and strolling 9.2% of the time, with a 9.6% swinging strike charge.

You’ll be able to image guys with this basic profile, I promise. A doubles-over-dingers hitter with cheap contact means? I’m pondering Alec Bohm or a dollar-store model of Freddie Freeman. Brendan Donovan is simply too good of a contact hitter to suit this mould, however perhaps he’ll assist you to get the thought.

For the document, I believe that each one of these guys (effectively, I assume Greenback Retailer Freddie Freeman is extra idea than man) are higher hitters than Torrens. However my level is that his basic talent set is per main league success. His bat pace is barely beneath common, however he squares the ball up ceaselessly, chases pitches within the grime sometimes, and places a ton of his contact both within the air or on a low line drive. He’s an all-fields hitter, with extra homers and doubles to the alternative subject than to the pull aspect. I don’t assume he might threaten 20 homers even with a full season’s price of plate appearances, however I do assume he’d rack up loads of doubles.

For those who’re like me, you’re keen on seeing issues via the filter of averages, and so I did simply that. I regressed swinging strike charge, hard-hit charge, chase charge, and GB/FB ratio in opposition to wRC+ to attempt to clarify how Torrens’ talent over the previous two years interprets into manufacturing. The regression wasn’t nice, nevertheless it had some predictive energy and put Torrens at a 105 wRC+ equal. Possibly you’d desire a projection system, which amongst different issues is a fancier model of what I attempted. ZiPS thinks Torrens can be a mean hitter the remainder of the way in which, whereas Steamer has him down for a 92 wRC+. However I believe that these are in all probability misleadingly low due to his unusual trajectory, and in any case, they match up pretty effectively with my estimates anyway. In plain English, Torrens is, on the very least, more likely to be a reliable main league hitter, inside shouting distance of common, for the speedy future.

Thus far, this feels like faint reward throughout the board. We’re getting a complete article a few man who’s a reliable defender and competent hitter? However, uh, sure, we’re. That’s a uncommon mixture for catchers! Right here’s a listing of all the catchers who posted a 100 or higher wRC+ with above-average protection in 2024, minimal 200 plate appearances: Cal Raleigh, Victor Caratini, Gabriel Moreno, Austin Wells, Travis d’Arnaud, and Francisco Alvarez. Heck, d’Arnaud and Alvarez cleared the bar by the slimmest of margins and Caratini had a profession 12 months. This talent set is extra uncommon than you assume.

For Torrens, this enchancment is best late than by no means. He’s compelled the Mets into fairly a bind, in reality. Alvarez is the inheritor obvious, the assumed catcher of the long run in New York. He’s a prime prospect who burst onto the scene in 2023 with better-than-expected protection and a heralded energy bat. However merely put, he hasn’t outplayed Torrens. He has a profession 99 wRC+ and his defensive worth is up within the air. He recorded spectacular receiving numbers in 2023, however he’s gotten worse with every passing 12 months since then, and he’s clearly a poor blocker.

The pondering behind holding Alvarez because the on a regular basis starter is easy: He’s the long run, foolish. He’s 23 and on the way in which up; Torrens is 29 and can in all probability by no means be higher than he’s proper now. However right here’s the laborious fact: Younger catchers principally don’t pan out. Listed below are the top-five catchers aged 26 or beneath from 2018:

Right here’s 2019:

2021:

And 2022:

My level in exhibiting you these lists is to make you cease and take a breath while you see “prime younger catcher.” A few of these guys have labored out. Smith and Raleigh have been constantly glorious. Contreras and Rutschman have been shut behind earlier than this 12 months, and I’d nonetheless lump them into an analogous class as these two. However most of those touted younger backstops don’t have lengthy careers on the prime. It’s a tricky place each bodily and mentally, and betting on long-term viability is a fraught proposition in consequence.

I believe it’s laborious to argue, primarily based on the previous two years of knowledge, that Alvarez is meaningfully higher than Torrens proper now. And when you assume the long run is broadly unsure, and that the Mets care loads about profitable in 2025, sacrificing the current for an ambiguous payoff doesn’t make a lot sense. So right here’s my proposal: Put them in a time share.

Up to now, the Mets have handled Alvarez just like the starter at the same time as Torrens has continued to excel. Since getting back from a season-opening IL stint, Alvarez has racked up twice as many plate appearances throughout twice as many begins. In the meantime, he’s hanging out 30% of the time, has solely 4 extra-base hits, and has a below-average batting line regardless of a .357 BABIP.

I wouldn’t bury Alvarez, to be clear. I nonetheless like his offensive promise and consider within the upside. However I doubt his profession goes to vary considerably if he bats 350 instances this season as an alternative of 450. In the meantime, Torrens has simply been higher of late, and there are lots of causes to consider he’s able to enjoying at this degree at the very least for slightly bit. Alvarez can even moonlight at DH infrequently if the Mets are insistent on maxing out his enjoying time.

No matter what they do, although, I can’t get sufficient of the Luis Torrens story. It could be so, really easy to only write him off because of his lengthy profession of mediocrity. However that doesn’t line up with how a lot he’s improved from the preliminary, wildly early main league call-up. It doesn’t line up with how uncommon it’s to mix stable protection and acceptable offense, even for a number of years, at catcher. The Mets discovered a hidden gem. Now it’s on them to take advantage of their success.