Luis Torrens got his big break when the New York Mets called.
Stuck in the minors for a New York Yankees organization that was stocked with catchers, Torrens got “dealt” to the Mets for $100,000 in May 2024. Torrens would immediately get another major-league chance because Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez was on the injured list.
“I was super excited (to be traded),” Torrens told The New York Post in a recent story. “I was really surprised as well because I wasn’t expecting it to happen. But when it did happen, I just thought to myself, ‘Wow. Everything that I’ve gone through, now I’m here.’”
The move has proven to be the best thing for Torrens’ career as he’s re-established himself as a quality major-league catcher after stints with the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.
After a 15-home run season with a 102 OPS+ as the Mariners’ primary catcher in 2022, Torrens struggled to keep his MLB career alive. He played in 108 games that season but only 91 in 2022-23, and from 2023-24, Torrens joined six organizations, including the Mets, where he has thrived.
A strong defensive catcher, Torrens is batting .263/.352/.411 with a home run and 11 RBIs in 36 games (108 plate appearances) this season. According to Baseball Reference, Torrens has been worth 0.9 WAR, nearly eclipsing the 1.0 WAR from 2022.