In recent years, the new york yankees have changed personnel tactics. Rather than throw money at every free agent with a respectable WAR, they decided to develop their farm system and acquire top prospects that could create a more sustainable dynasty. So far, the team is ahead of schedule watching some of those players like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez develop into stars. The next Yankees superstar is here.
While he's young - historically young for what he did on Sunday (May 6) - Gleyber Torres could very well become the best of them all.
Torres walks it off
When Torres walked up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday afternoon, there was no emotion in his eyes. This was the biggest at-bat of his career so far, yet his face wouldn't betray any nerves as he stepped into the batter's box. The Yankees were tied with the Cleveland Indians, one of the team's biggest competitors in the American League. With one swing of the bat, Torres vanquished the team's enemies back to the Midwest.
Coming just two days after his first ever MLB home run, Torres proved his power wasn't just a flash in the pan, driving the ball out to the deepest part of the park.
Just like that, the game was over and history was made: the rookie became the youngest member of the Yankees to hit a walk-off home run in at least a century, if not ever, according to the team's public relations department. All of this from a player who didn't even make it to the majors at the beginning of the season.
Torres time
At the onset of the season, Torres was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in all of Major League Baseball. Still, he started the season in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It didn't take long for him to prove that he didn't belong in the minors to the Yankees brass, however, earning his promotion on April 22. He went 0-for-4 during his major league debut that day, a moment he hasn't looked back from since.
The rookie is hitting .327 in 52 at-bats at the major league level. He has three doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBIs. He has also stolen a base and hit safely in each of the last five games. A couple of weeks ago, there was talk that his stay in the majors might be temporary. Now, there's no way he's ever headed back there, maybe in his career. Most importantly, the Yankees can't stop winning with Gleyber Torres in the lineup; they've now won 14 of the 15 games he's appeared in. The team has to be laughing about getting the prospect from the Chicago Cubs for Aroldis Chapman back in 2016.