The New York Yankees made their next big move within the offseason market. Over the weekend, the club announced the signing of Nick Torres, an outfielder and first baseman out of the Mexican League. He’s their second signing from outside of the organization this offseason.
Watching the Yankees maneuver the offseason so far has been frustrating and raises questions. Yankees followers have been awaiting a big splash, be it a blockbuster trade or a newsworthy signing.
Instead, the club has mostly worked to retain players who played for them in 2025. Not that there is an issue with that, but these players are not exactly “x-factors.” They have not addressed the main concerns of the organization. That brings us to Torres, whose signing brings a bit of spontaneity, curiosity, and confusion.
More About the Newest Yankees Acquisition, Nick Torres
From Lakewood, California, Torres made his way into the Major League Baseball lens through the 2014 MLB Draft. He was drafted in the fourth round by the San Diego Padres after three college seasons at California Polytechnic State University.
Torres has 11 seasons of professional baseball experience. He has five seasons in the minor leagues and six seasons in foreign professional leagues. The Yankees hitter has participated in both the Mexican League and the Mexican Pacific Winter League.
Where he drew strong attention to himself was in the Mexican League with Union Laguna. His success during his recent stint there caused professional scouts to zone in on his foreign career. He has been with Laguna since 2021.
Yankees sign 2025 Mexican League MVP Nick Torres
32-year-old right-handed first baseman and outfielder has hit .343 with a 1.025 OPS since 2021 for Algodoneros Unión Laguna. A 2014 4th round pick by the Padres, Torres’ last MLB affiliation was Triple-A in 2018 for the Rangers pic.twitter.com/uo1LQ3AlPT
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) December 27, 2025
In 2024, Torres slashed a .341/.424/.550 with 109 hits, 22 extra-base hits, 15 home runs, 66 RBI, and 65 runs scored. His consistency was key in his recruitment back to Major League Baseball.
In 2025, Torres came out with very noticeable success. He built on his strong numbers from the previous year. The Mexican League star recorded a .347 batting average, a .425 on-base percentage, and a phenomenal .730 slugging percentage.
In 326 at-bats, he recorded 113 hits, 32 doubles, six triples, for 38 total extra-base hits. He slammed a stunning 27 home runs, driving in 79 runs. For this performance, Torres was the 2025 Mexican League Most Valuable Player.
Makeup and Synopsis
The right-handed hitter is a very present bat in the box, standing 6’1” at 220 lbs, doing it all from the right side. The Mexican League MVP is physical, with strength and good bat speed. He’s very aggressive in the box and covers a lot of the zone.
Torres is a primary pull-side hitter, taking advantage of fastballs and pitches belt high on the outside. He’s very good at keeping his hands in to protect the inside part of the plate.
Where Does He Fit?
It’s hard to put Torres on the field and in the lineup with total confidence that his skills and statistics will translate to MLB. Regardless, his fundamentals and approach are very much up to major league standards.
Therefore, Torres can expect to be the backup at first base for Ben Rice. He may share time with Amed Rosario as the substitute. Torres will need to work his way up in the lineup and could see himself hitting in the seventh or eighth spot.
The Bronx is Nick Torres’ oyster, and he has the opportunity to fully earn his MLB contract with average to above average performances for the Yankees.
Main Photo Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images