Yankees Will Wait For Gleyber Torres’ Next Step

Gleyber Torres (Photo by Cliff Welch)

The Yankees acquired one of the top prospects in the game when they traded Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs last July for shortstop Gleyber Torres.

Now, after being promoted from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in late May, the 20-year-old Torres has only one more move remaining: to the big leagues.

Torres hit .273/.367/.496 with five home runs in 32 games at Trenton but hit just .194 through his first 11 Triple-A games.

Even if he does catch fire in the International League, he could spend the rest of the season there because of circumstances beyond his control.

“I am not looking at Gleyber right now on the major league side,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “I am looking at Gleyber taking the next step at Triple-A.”

Cashman often talks about prospects “finishing off their development’’ in the minors and not rushing them to the big leagues before they are ready. A prime example of that was Gary Sanchez, who received his callup last August.

Of course, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Torres could force the Yankees’ hand by tearing up Triple-A like he did the Arizona Fall League last offseason, when he won the batting title against older competition.

While Torres, whom the Cubs signed out of Venezuela for $1.7 million in 2013, had played second base and third base in addition to shortstop, the big club had no immediate need in the middle infield, thanks to the play of shortstop Didi Gregorius and second baseman Starlin Castro.

Third baseman Chase Headley is owed $13 million both this year and next.

An injury could change the picture, but the Yankees are comfortable waiting until Torres shows them he is ready for the final step many believe he will eventually take.

— George King covers the Yankees for the New York Post