The New York Yankees signed one of the top international prospects in baseball on Monday, agreeing to a deal with catcher Luis Torrens of Venezuela that will pay him $1.3 million, according to Baseball America.
Torrens, 16, is considered one of the top international young hitters. He recently converted to catcher after spending most of his life in the infield.
Torrens is 6-foot and 170 pounds, and has trained with former Yankees international scouting director Carlos Rios, according to Baseball America. The Yankees already have one of the best catching prospects, Gary Sanchez, who signed with the team for $3 million three years ago.
Though Torrens' bat is respected, concerns exist about whether he will ever develop the power to become a big-time home run hitter in the MLB. As a catcher, that wouldn't hurt him as much as it might at other positions.
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