The Cubs have reportedly offered their top prospect Gleyber Torres to the New York Yankees for Aroldis Chapman. So let’s get to know him.
According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, the Chicago Cubs have a trade on the table which would move top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres and a bit more to the New York Yankees for Aroldis Chapman.
I know you may be asking: “who?” Well, that’s where we come in.
The Cubs inked Torres as an international free agent throughout the 2013 international signing period out of Caracas, Venezuela and checks in at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds.
SEE ALSO: The Deal Between The New York Yankees And Cubs Could Be A Blockbuster
The now 19-year old an extraordinary inaugural season of professional ball in 2014 in the Arizona Fall League and the Northwest League.
Overall in his debut season, Torres slashed .297/.386/.440 with an on-base plus slugging percentage of .826 through 50 games at age 18 and continued his evolution with an impressive 2015 campaign en route to being named MLB Pipeline’s eighth best shortstop in all of baseball.
Overall, the Pipeline has him ranked as the 24-best prospect in the sport thanks to his superstar potential. Take a look at his scouting grades:
Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55
Scouts enthuse about how dynamic his quick right-handed swing is and how his mature approach makes him a legitimate threat despite the power not showing up in its entirety.
The Pipeline also reveals how impressive he is at recognizing pitches well and being able to spray the ball to the entirety of the field. Once Torres gets substantial in strength and masters the art of pulling pitches more frequently, scouts say he could provide his future team with 15 or more homers a year.
SEE ALSO: Cubs Have Made An Offer For Aroldis Chapman (Report)
For those concerned the Yankees may be bringing along another shortstop to their stacked arsenal of them, Torres may be on a path to become a third baseman in the future.
Pipeline details Torres’ range to be “average” and that he’d prosper offensively and defensively at a second or third base. Don’t forget just how New York would be able to bring one of baseball’s top prospects to their organization.
Sure the 30-game domestic violence suspension landed Chapman on the clearance rack but third baseman Eric Jagielo, second baseman Tony Renda, and right-handed pitchers Rookie Davis and Caleb Cotham (aka prospects the Bombers gave up in that deal) aren’t necessarily “top” prospects.
In fact, only Davis and Jagielo rank inside the Cincinnati Reds Top-30 prospects and they have been left out of the top 10, according to MLB Pipeline.
Sure, New York is giving up a tremendous possibility to make a run at the playoffs by getting rid of one of their strengths but this team needs to accumulate young talent – which is exactly what they plan on doing.
Get to know Torres, Yankees’ fans because if this deal goes through tomorrow you’ll be seeing a whole lot of him in the near future.
