While there’s virtually no chance that Gleyber Torres will break camp with the Yankees, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes that the 20-year-old’s advanced play against much older competition is an indicator that he could be in the Majors far sooner than most would’ve expected. Torres hit .270/.354/.421 as a 19-year-old in Class-A Advanced last season, and was named the league MVP in this year’s Arizona Fall League as well. If Chase Headley struggles for the first few months of the 2017 season and Torres thrives in the minors, Olney opines that the Yankees could be tempted to bring him to the Majors this season to play second base, with Starlin Castro shifting to the hot corner. Of course, it’s worth noting that Headley rebounded from a disastrous start to the 2016 season to hit .269/.344/.426 over his final 445 plate appearances. With two years and $26MM remaining on his contract and that strong finish last year, Headley doesn’t seem likely to be on a short leash.
More from the American League East…
- Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith takes a look at Jarrod Saltalamacchia and the work he’s put in thus far in Spring Training to familiarize himself with the Blue Jays’ pitchers. Russell Martin has quickly taken to Saltalamacchia and is helping to advise him in any way possible as the two gear up for the 2017 campaign. The 31-year-old Saltalamacchia says he’s always had great respect for Martin but has seen that admiration grow even more due to Martin’s clubhouse presence, extra video work, extra bullpen sessions and other off-field factors. Both Martin and Saltalamacchia spoke about the importance of a catcher’s performance behind the plate, and Saltalamacchia is putting forth extra work to improve in that regard. One evaluator from another club tells Nicholson-Smith that the knocks on Saltalamacchia’s defense are a bit overstated, pegging him as a 45 defender (on the 20-80 scale). Nicholson-Smith notes that the Jays don’t yet know how much Salty will play in 2017, as they no longer need to rest Martin every fifth day to allow Josh Thole to catch R.A. Dickey. But, about 40 starts behind the plate seems plausible, per Nicholson-Smith.
- Sandy Leon tells Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that even though he’s been characterized as a lock to make the Red Sox’ Opening Day roster, he’s not assuming anything in Spring Training. Leon, who has been optioned to the minors six times and designated for assignment on multiple occasions in his career, tells Abraham, “I don’t know how to think that way,” adding that nothing should be considered guaranteed. The 28-year-old Leon had the opportunity to play for his native Venezuela or his wife’s native Colombia in the World Baseball Classic but passed on both opportunities to better prepare for the 2017 season with Boston. Leon’s breakout season finished with a prolonged slump, though Abraham notes that Leon played 53 games in Winter Ball before the regular season and was working a starter’s workload for the first time in 2016, which may have caused him to wear down. Leon logged just four Winter Ball games this offseason and figures to start for the BoSox on Opening Day in 2017.
- Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy had been projected to begin playing in spring games on March 10, but that may be a bit further delayed, writes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. The 34-year-old Hardy has been sidelined by some back issues but says he’s getting near full strength now. Hardy has yet to field grounders but expects to swing today. He tells Encina that he should have plenty of time to get up to speed and log 40 to 50 at-bats by the end of camp, which would put him in position to be ready for the season opener.
No way you bring Torres up this year. He is only 20 and you want to keep most of his prime Trout level years in Pinstripes before free agency. He is the greatest NYY prospect since Mantle.
“He is the greatest NYY prospect since Mantle.”
Even better than Tom Tresh? Brien Taylor? ….
Very funny.
Just wow
Why do you always troll just the Yankees?
JDGoat: If you’re addressing my comment, 1) You assume I’m trolling. I’m not; just bringing in perspective. Tresh was the “next Mantle”; Taylor was “the best prospect many had ever seen.”
2) If I were trolling, there’s plenty of ammo throughout baseball and its fans, not just in the Bronx. Every team has made bad choices, and every team has delusional fans.
3) I’m just pointing out (for those who need clarification) what short memories and limited judgment space some fans have. E.g., “Greatest NYY prospect since Mantle” goes a loooooong way back. Perspective is a virtue.
4) “Always”? “Just”? Hyperbolic if true, and it’s not true.
5) If you were addressing someone else, well….apologies and “Never mind!”
It’s #5 – He’s talking about Eck
Thanks MB923. Therefore I invoke my full Rosanna Rosannadanna rights.
Well Jeter was a pretty good prospect … Torres has not even played AA yet.
Unlike all of the other fools, I give you a +1 as I can recognize a good troll when I see one. I commend you.
People do tend to forget just how revered Joe Pepitone, or Bobby Murcer were. But to put the stock of Torres above Jeter or Mattingly shows precious little knowledge. Heck, I loathe the Yankees, and I know that much.
Satire at its finest!
I pray that the Jay’s Martin helps Salty all he can, because I think he is almost done as a major league player. If he hits over the Mendoza line I’d be very surprised. It is like having a guaranteed out in the lineup. Hopefully he hits a few bombs. Jays should have signed Hundley, he has lots left in the tank and iI hear that he is good in the room.
Nick hundley hasn’t been good since 2011
He had an .806 OPS in 201.5. That’s “good”.
People actually pay money to read Buster Olney’s opinions? There’s a better chance Mike Trout retires from baseball to start an NHL career than Torres being called up this year.
Trout will need at least 3 seasons to challenge for the Conn Smythe trophy when that happens though.
Yankees will do what they typically do. They will wait years before they call him up. Yet all these other teams with young stud players call them up when they’re 19, 20, 21. But nope, Yankee way is call them up when they’re 24,25,26
Jeter was called up when he was 21.
Why rush when the Yankees are not gonna seriously compete in 2017? Keep torres in the minors and just advance him to AA. Jesus, it’s only been one week of spring training.
Agreed but you would want him to have his lumps bumps and bruises in the majors before you are fully invested in competing. eventually there will be a MLB learning curve just like every other level
I hope they keep him at double A all of 2016 and if he succeeds let him play at the MLB level and take his licks in 2018 hoping he can become solid by 2019 and beyond
Correction – keep him at double A all of 2017 this year-
So you’re saying it’s a little early to put him in the HOF???
Off topic but former Dodger infielder Luis Cruz signed with the Yomuri Giants
Source was Cruz’s instagram page.
Big time yanks fan. Torres is a good/great prospect. Won’t b ready at 20. Hope he proves me wrong. But for the average joe to second guess a baseball organization about there young players is beyond me. B a fan. Not a troll. Love the yanks. But I won’t speculate about when a kid is or isn’t ready for the bigs. Let the guys paid the big bucks figure that part out
Prospects are tough to analyze. Take Sanchez for example. Had a great start when not many expected it. But Baseball has these flashes and burn outs all the time. Till they put together a few MLB seasons tough to get too excited. We all think our prospects are the best. Time will tell.
Headley is not on a short leash because they owe him big $? And fans get to pay through the nose to watch an inferior player because the team handed him a foolish contract. Hey Yankees, if he, or Ellsbury for that matter, are not playing well they should sit.
Catch 22 as much as I’d love to see younger talent come up, I also think Headley will be fine a tad bit injury prone but he’s always been overlooked I feel. Why Rush the kid let him find a rhythm through at least AAA then around mid summer if Injures take place give him a call up