Erick Torres is just another in a recent string of promising international signings by the Kansas City Royals. Torres, Ramon Ramirez, Emmanuel Reyes, and Daniel Lopez have all been signed in recent years and rank in our top prospects list. Last year, he made his way to the Complex League in his stateside debut. While there, Torres showed a good blend of contact ability, patience at the plate, and speed on the basepaths.
Season Stats:
2022 (DSL): .266/.365/.382, 10.4% BB%, 17.3% K%, 108 wRC+
2023 (CPX): .319/.392/.428, 10.0% BB%, 12.5% K%, 110 wRC+
Much of the hype in the Arizona Complex League last season centered around Austin Charles and Milo Rushford. Each had strong seasons, but Torres was right there with them. At still just 18 years old, he showcased an impressive bat-to-ball ability. The strikeout rate was very low and the walk rate was healthy. Although the power didn’t come through, Torres hit for a high average and created havoc on the basepaths with 11 stolen bases in 36 games.
He will get a chance for the Low-A Columbia Fireflies next season and could make his way even higher on prospect rankings. He’s spent most of his professional career thus far in center field and should stick there long term. It’ll likely always be a contact-over-power profile, but Torres does a good job taking the ball where it’s given. He often slaps it the other way and relies on his good speed to give him extra bases.
Scouting Grades:
Hit: 45/55
Game Power: 30/40
Raw Power: 30/40
Speed: 50/55
Glove: 45/55
Arm: 45/50
Best Case Scenario
Erick Torres has a smaller stature at just 5-10. That smaller frame could limit his future power potential, but at just 18 years old it isn’t hard to see how he could produce more as he develops. If he develops enough power to matter, there’s easily positive value to be found. Between his low strikeout numbers, good speed, and strong defense, Torres could offer a very safe floor by the time he’s MLB-ready. Desmond Jennings is a player I use to convey the best case here.
Worst Case Scenario
We’ve said the same for just about every international prospect but it’s worth saying again: the range of outcomes for international prospects is wide. As good as Torres was last season in Arizona, he’s still yet to debut for a full-season affiliate. Early struggles next season could put a damper on Torres’s future prospects. With that said, we’ve seen other more highly-touted international prospects — such as Erick Peña — struggle much more than Torres did last season. There’s always going to be a chance that Torres doesn’t develop to be more than organizational depth until he reaches the upper minors.