NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — In the days leading to Thursday’s Rule 5 draft, which is the official end of the Winter Meetings, the Yankees believed Luis Torrens’ history and performance this past season in the lower levels of the minor leagues would keep him from being selected.
Then, with the second pick, the Reds took the 20-year-old catcher. They are expected to trade Torrens to the Padres.
Torrens missed all of 2015 with a shoulder problem. He appeared in 52 games this past year for Staten Island (Short-Season A) and Charleston (Low-A), and batted .250. He was plucked off the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre roster for $100,000.