Yankees Gleyber Torres: Analyzing 2017 Fantasy Value

The Yankees made some news Monday afternoon. The team announced that top prospect Gleyber Torre will be promoted to Triple-A. Is a call-up imminent?

The New York Yankees stockpiled prospects last season when they traded away Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran. One of those prospects is one step closer to the majors and fantasy owners are waiting for his name to appear on the waiver wire. What can we expect from Gleyber Torres if and when he gets the call this season?

Torres played in just 32 games with Double-A Trenton before moving up to Triple-A. In that span, he hit .273 with five home runs, 18 RBI and 22 runs scored. Torres also struck out 21 times and walked 17 times in 139 plate appearances.

After acquiring him in the Chapman trade, Torres was sent to High-A and the Arizona Fall League. In a combined 49 games, he hit five home runs, 30 RBI and a .304 average.

Torres is already owned in 3.5 percent of ESPN leagues. But, I assume they are keeper and dynasty leagues. In a normal re-draft league, Torres doesn’t and will not have any fantasy value this season.

He is listed as a shortstop but will play second and third base too, according to the New York Post. “He is a shortstop learning second and third,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said.

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With Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius locked in for years. Chase Headley is owed $13 this year and next and, unless he’s traded, he’s not going anywhere either. There is no room for Torres at this time.

Also, Torres is just 20 years old and is not on the 40-man roster. However, Cashman doesn’t see that as an issue and is looking towards the future.

“This is the best way to prepare him to provide protection in case we need him in the majors,” he said.

I look at that quote as Torres being a September call-up. He will likely be a backup for Gregorious, who missed the first month of the season, and Castro.

Torres doesn’t have the same power as the other Yankees prospects have, despite hitting four home runs over the last week. He is a great contact hitter with good plate discipline. Torres showed his speed early in his minor-league career but has just five steals in nine attempts in Double-A.

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I think some of the other prospects make their debut before Torres, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Torres appears in the final month of the season. If you play in deeper leagues, I would keep an eye out for Torres before another owner snags him.