Catcher prospect Luis Torrens is “healthy and ready” for Spring Training following shoulder surgery last year, Brian Cashman confirmed to George King (subs. req’d). Torrens missed the entire 2015 season after having surgery last March to repair a torn labrum. He went into last season as the No. 6 prospect in the system, in my opinion.
“He is healthy and ready, full bore, for Spring Training,” said Cashman. Farm system head Gary Denbo told King that Torrens spent his down year taking English classes and hitting the weight room. He was healthy enough to perform some baseball activities (hitting, throwing, etc.) late in Instructional League back in September and October.
Torrens, who is still only 19, missed two months during the 2014 season with a shoulder strain. He started the year with Low-A Charleston, played nine games, got hurt, then joined Short Season Staten Island once he got healthy. Torrens hit .270/.327/.405 (115 wRC+) with the Baby Bombers as one of the youngest players in NY-Penn League. He had a 21-game hitting streak at one point.
The Yankees signed Torrens for $1.3M out of Venezuela in July 2012. He was mostly an infielder as an amateur who moved to catcher full-time after signing. Torrens received a ton of praise for his baseball aptitude soon after signing and he was getting rave reviews for his progress behind the plate in 2014. He took to the position very quickly.
It goes without saying shoulder surgery is very serious for a catcher. A lot of defensive value is tied up in the arm. (Torrens has thrown out 41% of base-stealers in his career.) I’m glad to hear Torrens was healthy enough to work out at Instructs and will be “full bore” for camp. He’s one of the best all-around prospects in the system when healthy.
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