2024 Mets Report Card: Luis Torrens, C

Luis Torrens, C

Player Data: Age: 28 (05/02/1996), B/T: R/R

Primary Stats: 130 PA, .229/.292/.373/.665, 27 H, 3 HR, 15 RBI
Advanced Stats: 90 WRC+, 21.5 K%, 6.9 BB%, .273 BABIP, .322 xWOBA, 0.8 fWAR, 4 DRS

2024 Salary: $1 million

Grade: B

2024 Review

The Mets began 2024 with two catchers: Francisco Alvarez the unquestioned starter, and Omar Narváez, who has been a reasonably good backup throughout his career. After Alvarez injured his thumb in April, Narváez had a chance to step up but struggled badly, with a .376 OPS in 2024 before being designated for assignment. His one highlight came on May 26 with a walk-off single against the Giants. It was his first hit of the year at Citi Field. By the end of May, the Mets were already in the market for a backup catcher.

On May 31, the Mets acquired Luis Torrens from the New York Yankees for $100,000. The Yankees had not given him any time in the majors, but he hit to a solid .279/.339/.468 slash line in the minors. Although his career numbers weren’t extraordinary, he got the job done, which is exactly what is needed from a backup catcher.

Torrens immediately made an impact in early June. With a photoshopped image of him on the scoreboard and fans barely paying attention to his at-bats, the Venezuelan catcher ensured that they’d know his name by smashing two home runs and leading the Mets to a 9-1 victory in just his fourth game as a Met.

He took his success into July, getting 44 plate appearances in the month, even with the return of Alvarez. Torrens hit .300 in July, and kept his OPS at a fantastic .877 mark. He drove in eight runs while getting the start behind the plate eleven times.

Unfortunately, Torrens’s miraculous start with the Mets didn’t last. He slowed down significantly in August, managing only three singles in 27 at-bats. By September, his OPS had dropped to a more modest .718, and he wrapped up his season by going 3-for-24. Torrens finished his 2024 season with a .229/.292/.373 slash line and didn’t hit another home run after June.

However, Torrens was brilliant defensively. While his framing was average, and he struggled with blocking, he was an absolute gem at throwing runners out. He ranked in the 94th percentile in both pop time and caught stealings above average, putting him in elite company with names like Alejandro Kirk and Freddy Fermin, and even outshining J.T. Realmuto. Nearly half of the runners who attempted to steal on him (13 out of 28) were caught.

People often underestimate the role of backup catchers. Few recognize how tough it is to crouch behind the plate for even the 47 games Torrens caught. With his standout ability to catch runners stealing and his hot start in the first few months, Torrens proved to be one of the better Mets backup catchers in quite some time.

2025 Overview

After signing a minor league deal with the Yankees, Torrens earned around $1 million in the 2024 season. Looking ahead, MLB Trade Rumors projects a modest raise for Torrens in 2025, predicting a salary of $1.1 million.

On the Mets’ future at the catcher position, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said, “I would say we’re comfortable with those two guys. [Alvarez and Torrens].” Thus, whatever moderate raise Torrens gets, as of now, we can assume Stearns will be paying. With Alvarez’s power still raw and untapped and Torrens’s impressive pop time behind the dish, Mets fans should enter 2025 reasonably confident in their catchers.

Given the Mets’ lack of depth at the catcher position beyond Alvarez and Torrens, it’s also feasible to sign a veteran or two and assign them to Triple-A Syracuse. With Kevin Parada struggling mightily at the professional level, Torrens looks set to be a New York Met in 2025.

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