After missing the final cut in Spring Training, the most coveted prospect in the New York Yankees’ farm system looks ready to make his Major League Baseball debut sooner rather than later, according to Mac Josephson of FanSided’s Yanks Go Yard.
Gleyber Torres, ranked the No.1 prospect in the Yankees’ organization, competed for a roster spot with fellow prospect Miguel Andujar and other infielders, but the Yankees felt their highly-touted prospect needed more fine tuning with their Triple-A team before his major league debut.
Josephson pointed out that a drop-off in performance in this year’s Spring Training along with the signing of Neil Walker contributed to his demotion to the minors. Another reason why the Yankees designated Torres is they still have the luxury of extending their control on him for another year should they decide to keep him in their farm system until after April 14.
However, the 22-year-old shortstop out of Caracas, Venezuela has made a strong case for a major league call-up after putting up solid numbers at Triple-A. Torres is currently batting.333 with six hits, a home run, and four RBI’s. The most intriguing part about Torres’ recent minor league run is the way Scranton utilized him both at second and third base.
The Bronx Bombers got the injury bug early in the season with so many key players on the DL. Brandon Drury, whom the Yankees traded for in the offseason, is currently on the disabled list because of recurring headaches and blurry visions.
Andujar, meanwhile, is struggling to make his mark at the plate. Drury’s replacement at third base is batting just.125 with three hits and three RBI’s. Tyler Wade at second baseball is dreadful as well, as he’s batting.135 with three RBI’s.
While it’s too early to rule out fine young players like Andujar and Wade, their batting woes might force the Yankees to eventually bring up Torres to the Majors. It’s worth mentioning that Torres spent roughly eight months rehabbing after undergoing Tommy John Surgery last year.
Torres’ Spring Training hiccups might just be a product of being away from the game for almost a year. Perhaps he’s just starting to find his groove at a time when the Yankees direly need of healthy bodies on the roster. The timing couldn’t be more right for Torres to make his MLB debut.
