New York Yankees Player Profiles: Gleyber Torres, his story and his 2020 struggles

New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres
Jul 26, 2018; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) throws to first base against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees Gleyber Torres was born amongst the political strife, unrest, and violence of Caracas, Venezuela in a middle-class family headed by Eusebio Torres and his mother, Ibelise. He is 22 years old. Gleyber started playing baseball at the age of four. He started in his early years as an outfielder, but shortstop was more suited to his game. His love of the game was propelled by watching games on TV.

In high school, he played both basketball and baseball, but his father got him to concentrate on just baseball. Many thought he had the capabilities of becoming a professional. At age 14, he enrolled in an academy with strong connections to baseball scouts. Shortly after that, he was sought out by the Chicago Cubs, and he signed a contract with them.

In 2013 at the age of just sixteen, he signed a $1.7 million contract with the Cubs as an international free agent. He played in the minors for the Cubs organization; He made his pro debut in 2014 with the Arizona Cubs. In fifty games, he hit an average of .297. In 2015 he played for two minor league teams. In 126 games between the two clubs, he hit .287 with three home runs. In 2016 the Cubs traded Torres with Adam Warren and two other players to the Yankees for a desperately needed Aroldis Chapman. Torres played in the minors but missed most of the 2017 season for an injury that required Tommy John surgery, but still recorded a .287 season with seven home runs.

Gleyber Torres made his major league debut on April 22, 2018, against the Blue Jays but went hitless. The next day he got his first hit off the Twins. On May 4th, he recorded his first home run. The youngest Yankee to do so since 1969. During 2018 after batting .297 with fifteen home runs, he was selected to the All-Star team He was named AL player of the week twice. For his sophomore season, on April 4, 2019, Gleyber Torres became the fourth-youngest Yankee with four hits and three extra-base hits in a game since Joe DiMaggio did it in 1936.

On June 29, 2019, he hit the 39th home run of his short career. On August 2nd, he hit his second Grand Slam. To end his 2019 campaign, he batted .278 and led the New York Yankees with 38 home runs with 90 runs batted in. In his two years in the majors, he has been a New York Yankees All-Star twice and has received an MVP nomination. He finished the 2019 campaign he ended with 62 home runs for his three-year career and 167 RBIs.

Torres played well in the 2020 spring training and in the later summer camp. The New York Yankees had great hope for their young, new shortstop would repeat his excellent performance. The Yankees hoped for the best as he tried to follow in the footsteps of Yankee all-time star Derek Jeter, and last years departing Didi Gregorius, who is now a Philadelphia Philly.

Fast forward to the coronavirus shortened baseball season.  Has all the 2019 magic disappeared from that new guy at short? Well, it appears there certainly have been some struggles that he has suffered, from both behind the plate and at his new position.  Before Torres went on the IL with both calf and hamstring strains, he led the league in errors at short and was hitting just .231 with only one home run and a measly six RBIs.

On August 21, Torres went on the 10 day IL. Last night in Baltimore against the Orioles, Gleyber Torres returned to the Yankee lineup. He had three at-bats and managed a double in the game. Hopefully, that is a good sign for the remaining weeks of the season. One must keep in mind that the 23-year-old is still very young, and has plenty of time to improve. One season does not make a career. This season may just be a blip in his journey to becoming a Yankee star.

Torres lives in New York City with his wife Elizabeth, his childhood sweetheart. They just celebrated their 2nd Anniversary last year with dinner on the beach. Gleyber still has very close ties with his family and friends back in Caracas and usually visits during the December holidays.  This month he had just partnered with PSD Underwear and he may model their premium, on-trend boxer briefs. Their newest collection of underwear is the Gleyber Torres collection. PDS is owned by NBA stars Kyrie Irving, Chandler Parsons & Jimmy Butler! In his spare time, he loves playing video games.

This July 9th, Gleyber Torres was supposed to host his first-ever Gleyber Torres Baseball ProCamp in Wayne, New Jersey for New York City area youth. Both girls and boys could have participated from first to eighth grade. Campers were to be placed in small groups by age to ensure that each child got the maximum instruction featuring a 10:1 maximum camper to coach ratio. The camp was to be staffed by some of the area’s top high school and college coaches. With the coronavirus, Torres will try to have the camp later in the season if possible or it will most likely be postponed until 2021.