First Double-A homer shows Torres' Thunder

For Trenton manager Bobby Mitchell, what separates Gleyber Torres from so many other prospects is one thing: confidence. That type of conviction in a 20-year-old is not only rare, but the primary reason his manager envisions his young shortstop fitting in as a Major Leaguer.
"Nothing is overwhelming for him. It's amazing how he handles everything with such ease," Mitchell said. "Managing him his awesome, because he's such a great kid. We call him 'GT,' but not because it's short for 'Gleyber Torres.' It's an acronym for 'great teammate.'
"He really knows the game so well and his instincts are just off the charts. He's impressive in so many ways. Yes, he's got some things he needs to improve upon, but he has some major skills, obviously."  

Box score
Torres went 3-for-4 with his first Double-A homer and tied his career high with four RBIs to lead Trenton past visiting Erie, 7-4. The Yankees' top prospect fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, scored twice and stole a base in his second game since returning from the seven-day disabled list.
Ranked second overall by MLB.com, Torres got off to a quick start in his first Double-A season, but a bout with right rotator cuff tendinitis shelved him for nine games and contributed to a recent slump. He returned Friday night and went 0-for-3 with a walk, extending a 1-for-19 stretch that dropped his average to .220.
His first three-hit effort of 2017 bumped that back up to .267.
"He struggled a little bit right before he was disabled, but he got locked in during batting practice," Mitchell said. "His BP had a purpose and it carried over into the game. If he stays focused, which I have no doubt he will, the sky is really the limit for him.
"We love having him here and it's so fun to work with that kind of talent, seeing him get better and move on to bigger and better things."
Torres came out swinging in the first inning with a double to center field, his third of the year. The native of Venezuela popped out to end the third but came up with the game's biggest hit in the fifth.
With the Thunder trailing 4-1 and two runners on, Torres sent a 1-2 pitch from Anthony Vasquez over the wall in left for a homer, which tied the game, 4-4. It was his first home run since Aug. 26 when he was with Class A Advanced Tampa, a span of 64 at-bats.

After Jake Cave broke the tie with an RBI double in the seventh, Torres followed with a single to right that drove in another run. It also left quite an impression on his skipper.
"He really had the best at-bats he's had all year. Just very impressive," Mitchell said. "With a man on second and nobody out, you could tell he was trying to go the other way and get the guy over to third. He hits an absolute bullet to right and drives in the run.
"Tonight was one of those nights where he could do anything he wanted to. Look at the home run, for instance. He went deep with two strikes, which just shows such maturity. He's so confident that even if he gets two strikes on him, he never shows real anxiety or panic. It's a great thing for any player, but at his age, it's special."

The centerpiece in the trade that sent All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs last July 25, Torres has carried his reputation as one of baseball's best young stars to arguably the most famed franchise in professional sports. He was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League and was invited to Major League Spring Training, where he hit .448/.469/.931 with nine extra-base hits and nine RBIs in 29 at-bats.
Getting an up-close look at him during camp, Mitchell knew Torres belonged, and he could tell that the youngster knew it, too.
"When I watched him, he just looked like a big leaguer -- in his at-bats, his demeanor at the plate, in the field. He never showed any sign that he didn't think he belonged," Mitchell said. "He feels like he belongs there now and that's huge. He could get the call at any time for all we know, so our job is to make sure he's prepared to handle anything that comes his way."
Cave doubled twice while going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Starter Justus Sheffield, New York's No. 6 prospect, allowed four runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out five in five innings. Four Trenton relievers combined to yield three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in four scoreless frames.
Tigers No. 2 prospectChristin Stewart slugged a two-run homer into the Delaware River, his sixth of the season.