Brad Mills-Imagn Photographs
If, like me, you’re a bizarre baseball transactions sicko, you most likely 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, essentially the most superior of the trio, was 21 and had round 200 plate appearances of full-season minor league ball below 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 yr later and he slid into journeyman standing. From 2019 by 2023, he bounced round, not often getting constant taking part in 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 explicit Rule 5 Draft as a cautionary story when individuals ask me in regards to the dangers of dashing low-level minor leaguers to The Present. I firmly imagine 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 taking part in. Every was a promising prospect, however within the six years after the Padres chosen them, the period of time you’d anticipate them to be below crew 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 properly, as well. They saved him round as their major backup heading into 2025, which brings us to this text.
See, Torrens isn’t taking part in like a backup proper now. Since becoming a member of the Mets, he’s appeared like a starter, with a 103 wRC+ and wonderful defensive metrics over about half a season of taking part in 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 type 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 traditional developmental path. And whereas that “regular developmental path” didn’t occur, you may see what these scouts have been speaking about while you watch Torrens play protection at the moment.
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 ability discovered slowly by repetition, and Torrens has constantly improved. Relying on which of the galaxy of catcher protection approximations you need to belief, he’s both common or simply above common as a receiver, and he’s notably 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 by 2022, Statcast had him down as blocking 20 fewer pitches than a median catcher would’ve stopped, and I concur with their evaluation, at the very least in magnitude if not in actual quantity. (I’m not watching all these movies to search out out.) It received so unhealthy 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 under 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 unhealthy 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 under common per 1,000 alternatives, garden-variety under common as an alternative of catastrophic.
Even when he was barely sticking round within the majors, Torrens had an enormous arm, the clearest plus device on his scouting report. And he’s grown into that arm, to place it evenly. Over the previous two years, he’s the fourth-best catcher when it comes to caught stealing above common. That’s complete occasions caught stealing above common, not a fee 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 ability. 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, an important class. He’s an affordable, below-average blocker, definitely not outdoors the norm for a serious league starter. And he’s among the best running-game controllers in baseball, combining an enormous arm with a quick switch and good accuracy.
I’m not stunned that Torrens is nice in any respect of this stuff. Learn scouting studies from his pre-Padres days, and also you’ll see loads of reward for his long-term match on the place. One factor these studies don’t learn like is the outline of a catcher about to play main league video games. Right here’s outdated 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 ability work wants a pair years to succeed in its potential behind the plate, however he confirmed knack for receiving and had a plus arm.”
I’m able to imagine that Torrens has grown into that potential. The info are compelling, and catcher protection is a high-frequency occasion, so I’m faster to belief the statistics there. I’m additionally keen to imagine it as a result of Torrens passes the attention take a look at; he seems easy on the market, and also you undoubtedly can’t pretend his nostril for catching would-be basestealers. That newfound defensive capability means Torrens could have an enormous league job so long as he can maintain his present stage behind the dish. Each crew might use a backup along with his array of expertise. Hitting is elective for a part-time catcher; protection is just not. However Torrens is likely to be a greater than that.
Please don’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to Torrens’ top-10 barrel fee throughout your complete main leagues. That may provide the mistaken 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 fee.
You’ll be able to image guys with this common profile, I promise. A doubles-over-dingers hitter with affordable contact capability? I’m considering Alec Bohm or a dollar-store model of Freddie Freeman. Brendan Donovan is simply too good of a contact hitter to suit this mildew, however possibly he’ll assist you to get the thought.
For the report, I believe that every one of these guys (properly, I suppose Greenback Retailer Freddie Freeman is extra idea than man) are higher hitters than Torrens. However my level is that his common ability set is in line with main league success. His bat velocity is barely under common, however he squares the ball up continuously, 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 other subject than to the pull facet. 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.
If you happen to’re like me, you’re keen on seeing issues by the filter of averages, and so I did simply that. I regressed swinging strike fee, hard-hit fee, chase fee, and GB/FB ratio towards wRC+ to attempt to clarify how Torrens’ ability over the previous two years interprets into manufacturing. The regression wasn’t nice, however 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 will probably be a median hitter the remainder of the way in which, whereas Steamer has him down for a 92 wRC+. However I believe that these are most likely misleadingly low due to his unusual trajectory, and in any case, they match up pretty properly 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 rapid future.
To date, this seems like faint reward throughout the board. We’re getting a complete article a couple of 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 yr. This ability set is extra uncommon than you assume.
For Torrens, this enchancment is healthier late than by no means. He’s compelled the Mets into fairly a bind, the truth is. Alvarez is the inheritor obvious, the assumed catcher of the longer term 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 yr since then, and he’s clearly a poor blocker.
The considering behind conserving Alvarez because the on a regular basis starter is straightforward: He’s the longer term, foolish. He’s 23 and on the way in which up; Torrens is 29 and can most likely 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 under from 2018:
Right here’s 2019:
High Younger Catchers, 2019
Participant
PA
wRC+
WAR
Carson Kelly
365
107
2.3
Gary Sánchez
446
116
2.1
Danny Jansen
384
69
1.8
Austin Hedges
347
48
1.4
Jorge Alfaro
465
95
1.1
2021:
And 2022:
My level in displaying 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 wonderful. Contreras and Rutschman have been shut behind earlier than this yr, 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 troublesome 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 information, that Alvarez is meaningfully higher than Torrens proper now. And in case you assume the longer term is broadly unsure, and that the Mets care rather a lot about successful 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.
To date, the Mets have handled Alvarez just like the starter whilst Torrens has continued to excel. Since coming 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 imagine within the upside. However I doubt his profession goes to vary considerably if he bats 350 occasions this season as an alternative of 450. In the meantime, Torrens has simply been higher of late, and there are lots of causes to imagine he’s able to taking part in at this stage at the very least for just a little bit. Alvarez also can moonlight at DH every so often if the Mets are insistent on maxing out his taking part in time.
No matter what they do, although, I can’t get sufficient of the Luis Torrens story. It could be so, really easy to simply 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 just a few years, at catcher. The Mets discovered a hidden gem. Now it’s on them to profit from their luck.
