Who Is Nick Torres?

By Andy Singer

January 10th, 2026

Photo Credit: Twitter, @AlgodonerosUL

What if I told you that the Yankees signed a right-handed hitter who makes contact, hits for power, won an MVP, and competently handles both outfield corners and first base? Would you be excited? Would it alter your perception of the Yankees' offseason slumber? Of course it would! We have spent all offseason discussing the need for competent right-handed hitting to balance the lineup and potentially platoon with any number of the Yankees' left-handed hitters who struggle with same-side pitchers, and the Yankees actually signed someone who might help in that regard.

OK, so my first sentence is slightly disingenuous and sounds more like it came from Nick Torres' agent. Who is Nick Torres, you ask? Nick Torres was last season's Mexican League MVP, and he recently signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees to very little fanfare from a fan base that is aching for something more than a move at the fringes. Despite the clear need for moves beyond the fringes, that doesn't mean that some fringe moves aren't of some interest. This particular fringe move interests me more than others this offseason, and it isn't just from a baseball perspective. The name Nick Torres stuck in my memory, and I had to dig around to figure it out.

I want to take you back roughly 12.5 years ago, to the summer of 2013. One of my closest friends from college was living in his hometown of Madison, WI while working towards his PhD. I was (very) early in my career without the professional responsibilities that would soon make personal trips difficult, so I flew out to Wisconsin for a visit at the peak of summer. My friend was not (and is not) a baseball fan...at all. So upon arrival in Wisconsin, I was shocked at his suggestion that we go see a baseball game. Now, this suggestion was partly because he was a good friend trying to show me a good time, but I'm also sure that the $15 all you can eat and drink brats and beer ticket helped his ability to stomach a baseball game.

I was told we were going to see a local minor league team. Upon receiving the program and lineup card, I quickly realized that we were actually seeing something better: a summer amateur wood bat league game in the Northwoods League. The league was not at the level of the Cape Cod Baseball League, the preeminent summer amateur wood bat league, but it was still excellent baseball that saw some of its players get drafted each year. Good baseball, good company, and fantastic beer and brats - to say I was excited was an understatement.

So there I was, standing along the RF foul line watching the Madison Mallards vs. the Green Bay Bullfrogs. Knowing what a baseball junkie I am, my friend spent the game trying to understand how I view the game, and what traits I look for to evaluate a player. By the end of the game, I noted that there were probably only 3 players who were draftable, and one in particular who had a chance of going in the first 6 or 7 rounds. It was a guy who played defense right in front of me all night and showed pop at the plate, even though he had nothing to show for it: Nick Torres.

Whenever I watch high level amateur baseball, I take notes about players that spike my interest. All these years later, I found the napkin I took notes on. The writing is nearly illegible, but sure enough, I saw Nick Torres' name with a few sentences written down. And before anyone says anything, yes, I saved a ballpark napkin from the summer of 2013 because I truly am that level of baseball junkie. Ultimately, Torres was a 4th round draft pick who made it to AAA with the Padres.

What I thought of Torres then compares favorably to my scouting report of Torres now. Torres has well above-average raw power with a stiff swing that doesn't always allow him to get to that power at all levels of the zone. He can be beat with velocity, but when he connects, he can do real damage. His body is athletic and well built, and he moves well in the outfield with a strong arm. The scouting report is almost the same today as it was in 2013.

Nick Torres took the road less traveled to the Mexican League instead of toiling in AAA for the last few years, and it has paid off. Torres has been a popular player in Mexico, with his last 3 seasons in particular standing out. In winning the league MVP last season, he hit .347/.425/.730, with a 1.155 OPS and 32 HR. That sounds incredible, but expectations as Torres comes stateside should be tempered. Mexican League games are played at extreme elevation as though every game is at Coors Field and the league's level is somewhere between AA and AAA, depending on the game. Hitters hit for a .295 BA with an .844 OPS last season. Pitchers were a hop, skip, and a jump from a 6.00 ERA and allowed a 1.66 WHIP. Torres was fantastic, but we have to remember the environment in which he played.

However, Torres retains the tools he had years ago, and has experience against high level pitching. Torres also made a very good impression in the Dominican Winter League this year, in a showcase for big league teams. He is a very good defender in the outfield, with the same strong arm I saw years ago. Torres is a very interesting flier, and I'll be very interested to see how he performs in Spring Training and AAA. It would bring a smile to my face if Torres is able to carve out a role as a bench bat and platoon hitter for the Yankees.