Top Landing Spots for Free Agent Gleyber Torres

While the middle infield free agent class may be a bit sparse this winter compared to past offseasons, it’s not devoid of talent by any means. There are plenty of names that can add considerable value up the middle in 2025 and beyond.

One of those names is the top primary second baseman on the free agent market: Gleyber Torres.

Torres is coming off a season with the American League champion New York Yankees in which he slashed .257/.330/.378 with 15 HR and 63 RBI along with a 104 wRC+ and a 1.7 fWAR.

And although 2024 wasn’t the strongest of years for the former blue-chip prospect, it doesn’t tell the whole story of the player he is. In the second half of the year, Torres was much better at the plate than in the months leading up to the All-Star break, hitting .292 with a .780 OPS compared to his opening .231 AVG and .654 OPS.

We also can’t forget the solid showing he had in the postseason this past year, where he was an overall 115 wRC+ hitter. This included strong ALDS and ALCS performances in which he hit to the tune of a .867 and .809 OPS, respectively.

In the two seasons prior to 2024, Torres managed to hit 20+ HR each year, with a .761 OPS and 114 wRC+ in 2022 and an .800 OPS and 120 wRC+ in 2023.

While he’s not without his inconsistencies at the plate, and he is a below-average defender at second, there are plenty of teams that could use a leadoff-style second base option with his offensive upside.

So, here are some of the top landing spots for Gleyber Torres in free agency this winter.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners have been in search of an everyday second baseman for years now. Neither the Kolten Wong experiment in 2023 nor the Jorge Polanco experiment in 2024 went according to plan.

But there’s some reason to believe Torres could find better success in the Pacific Northwest than either of his predecessors did.

For starters, Torres is younger than either Wong or Polanco, as unlike the other two, he will still be under 30 when he first suits up for Seattle.

And statistically speaking, Wong never had that same 25+ HR and 120+ wRC+ upside that Torres has produced on several occasions throughout his career, while Polanco had been two years removed from that kind of output.

Torres would also give the Mariners a more proven leadoff option to mitigate any sort of regression their current leadoff man, Victor Robles, might have after his career year in 2024. After being given the reigns of the Yankees’ leadoff spot down the stretch in 2024, Torres posted a very respectable .311 AVG with an .818 OPS over 199 plate appearances in August and September.

The Mariners boasted a below-average 95 wRC+ at the second base position in 2024 to go along with a 29th-ranked .209 AVG and a 21st-ranked .658 OPS, so Torres would immediately provide a clear upgrade for them.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays seem to be tied to infield names like Willy Adames and Alex Bregman this winter, but should they fall short in their pursuit of those two names, Torres could make some sense here.

Bo Bichette is set to occupy shortstop in 2025, after an injury-riddled 2024 campaign, but the second base spot is still surrounded by questions.

After his blistering hot debut in the later months of 2023, Davis Schneider came back to earth in 2024, posting an 80 wRC+. Ernie Clement had a solid run as more of an everyday option in the Toronto infield last season but still presents some risks after putting up a .692 OPS and 12th-percentile totals or lower in hard-hit rate, barrel rate and AVG exit velocity last season.

Young and upcoming names like Will Wagner and Leo Jiménez had their moments last year but neither is necessarily established enough at the big league level to be the everyday second baseman for a team that has ambitions of contending in 2025.

Torres would also bring the Jays a more stable leadoff option at the top of the lineup card after the continued decline of George Springer played a significant role in the Blue Jays’ .219 AVG and .648 OPS out of the leadoff spot in 2024.

San Francisco Giants

The Giants have also found themselves within various middle infield sweepstakes, with Adames and Ha-Seong Kim being two names they’re likely looking into.

But Torres is another name who could fit in well in a Giants lineup that posted a below-average 97 wRC+, with a 20th-ranked AVG of .239 and a 19th-ranked OPS of .701 as a team in 2024.

In terms of second base production, the Giants were even more disappointing, posting the second-lowest wRC+ and third-lowest OPS in MLB at the position.

Tyler Fitzgerald is an option to fill that role, but his lack of major league experience paired with the fact that he massively overperformed in 2024 (with just a 17th percentile xBA of .227 and a 20th percentile xWOBA of .292) makes him a bit of a risk for a team aiming for the postseason in 2025.

Casey Schmitt could also be an option at second in 2025, but like Fitzgerald, he also lacks extensive major league experience, and despite a decent year in 2024 (.760 OPS and 109 wRC+ in 113 PA), he’s only a year removed from a 2023 rookie campaign run in which posted a .580 OPS and a 58 wRC+.

Torres would give San Francisco a more stable offensive floor at second and also a way to potentially bump up production at the top of the lineup; the Giants only sported a .704 OPS from the leadoff spot this past season.

Los Angeles Angels

While I wouldn’t have thought the Angels would be on this list just a few weeks ago, their busy offseason makes me think they could be open to spending some more this winter.

And if that’s the case, second base could potentially be a spot the Angels consider making an addition while they buy time until Just Baseball’s 90th-ranked prospect Christian Moore is ready for the show.

With Luis Rengifo having the versatility and past experience to play all around the infield (and even a bit of outfield) and third baseman Anthony Rendon often injured, there are ways that this infield can shift around to make room for a plus bat at second in Torres.

The Angels got just 71 wRC+ and a .593 OPS out of their second basemen last season, so an improvement of some kind is required should this team continue spending with an eye on improving in 2025. Torres would easily be an improvement.

Now, the presence of Moore would likely deter the Angels from signing Torres to contract with any sort of length, but they could offer him a place to get some lower-pressure starting run than he had in the Bronx. This would hopefully allow him to build up his stock a bit more for a future contract down the road, while simultaneously providing the Angels with a potential trade chip at the deadline if Moore is ready to debut.