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Minor League Discussion & Boxes 9-1-14

CaliforniaRaisin

By CaliforniaRaisin,
in Cubs Minor League Talk

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So, uh, Rhee.

 

Splitter must have been working today. Not his first double digit K game this season either.

ctcf Cooperstown

ctcf

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Torres 2/4 with a triple and the game isn't over.

Did make an error and K twice though.

 

Torres ends 3/5 with a 2B and 3B. Swoon

Aaron_Kennelly South Bend Cubs

Aaron_Kennelly

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Torres 2/4 with a triple and the game isn't over.

Did make an error and K twice though.

 

Torres ends 3/5 with a 2B and 3B. Swoon

 

Yeah, I really like Torres. I think the discussion from a few days ago about him in the top-5 is warranted. I am very anxious to see him in Kane County next year. What's his glove supposed to be like? I think I remember hearing reports questioning if he would stick at short, but I could be wrong. And, obviously, who the [expletive] really knows about 16-year-old kids?

davell Chicago Cubs

davell

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I've seen nothing on his defense this year, but he was definitely not considered a strong defender at the time of his signing, most seemed to think he'd wind up at 2B.
craig First Round Pick

craig

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I've seen nothing on his defense this year, but he was definitely not considered a strong defender at the time of his signing, most seemed to think he'd wind up at 2B.

 

I recall a couple of comments by Az Phil about Torres's defense, and they were extremely positive. I can't recall the details, but he seemed to rank Torres as the most gifted defensive SS he's seen down there. He seemed to rank the rookie-league SS's in this defensive order: Torres => Penalver > Hak Lee >> Baez, Alcantara, Hernandez > Castro.

 

He was super gushy, and was acting like Torres has a chance to be up with the great historic Venezuelan defensive SS's like Vizquel and Davey Concepcion.

 

Obviously all the usual caveats apply. Phil isn't a scout, he watches a finite number of games, he gets influenced by those that he sees, and he can be a bit of a gusher.

 

But given that his observations are the only ones we've gotten since the signing, I think it's fair to consider that Torres may well be a true SS until/unless there is evidence or other scouting opinion to the contrary.

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A whole lot of he might have to move on Torres but obviously nothing definitive since those were based on only a few looks and he might have been half-assing it for a lot of scouts after agreeing early with the Cubs:

 

May 2013, BA:

 

Scouts highest on Torres see a righthanded hitter who can stay at shortstop with good hands, a strong arm and the ability to hit in games with projectable power that’s surprising for his size, although some think he might fit better at second or third base.

 

6/26/14, Kiley McDaniel:

 

Torres has an above average arm and very good hands and actions, but his average foot speed limits his lateral quickness, which is why some scouts think he could fit better at second base long-term, with third base another possibility. That said, he'll go out as a shortstop after signing and I wouldn't underestimate Torres' ability to overachieve, with great instincts and feel for the game.

 

June 2013, BA:

 

At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Torres’ hands and arm work well in the field but some scouts prefer more athleticism at shortstop, so he could end up being a player who splits time between shortstop, second and third base as he moves up.

 

Before signing, MLB.com (link has video):

 

A solid defender, Torres has excellent hands, great feet and he's known to have an accurate arm with above-average strength. He's impressed scouts with his ability to make all of the routine plays and an occasional great play. He is particularly adept on his glove-hand side and continues to show improvement on all-around defense.

 

3/10/14, BA:

 

Torres doesn’t have the prototypical wiry frame of most young Latin American shortstops. He has a compact, relatively filled out frame for his age, though he has leaned out some since signing. Some scouts believe he can play shortstop with a build along the lines of fellow Venezuelan and current Orioles shortstop Alex Gonzalez. He has solid hands, a strong arm and has shown above-average speed at times, especially at the end of 2012. Since then several teams saw average speed, though he may have been on cruise control at that point. The Cubs see Torres as an above-average athlete who can play shortstop, though others aren’t as sold on his athleticism and see him splitting time between shortstop, second and third base, a role and skill set that elicits comparisons to Freddy Sanchez.

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