The Keepers - #82 - C - Juan Torres

82. Juan Torres – C – Rookie – 21/yrs.

Not too many Mets fans have heard of Juan Torres, but that might change real soon.

Torres was signed as an undrafted international free agent, out of his hometown of Valencia, Venezuela. He turns 21 this October.

2006 was his entrance into organized ball, where he played all over the infield for the VSL Mets. Good debut: .279/.362/.370/.731, in 165-AB.

2007 was spent with the VSL Mets, as a third baseman, and he shined: .298/.357/417/774, but 29 errors.

Torres was converted to a catcher and played the entire 2008 season for the GCL Mets, batting .293/.300/.414 in 58 at bats.

In 2009, he split time with GCL and Kingsport, where he hit well in both. GCL stats: .345/406/517 in 29 at bats, followed by .328/.350/448 in 8 at bats in Kingsport.

His combined 2008/2009 stats are: 145-AB, .317/.342/.448… only downside: only 3-BB, but 29-K.

Summary:

Torres has hit at three levels, though he wasn’t a fulltime during the past two seasons. He’s proven he couldn’t field adequately in the field and seems to have made the conversion to catching. Now, he needs to go first string for some team, regardless whether it is K-Port, Brooklyn or Savannah. He signed as a 16-year old, so he obviously is young enough not to rush.