The New York Yankees signed the reigning MVP in Liga Mexicana de Béisbol on Dec. 27. They agreed to a minor league deal with first baseman and outfielder Nicholas Torres, according to an announcement on the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna X account.
Gracias, Nick Torres, por cada juego, cada entrega y cada emoción que nos regalaste.
Por la forma en que has conectado con la afición, por convertirte en referente, en ídolo y en uno de los jugadores más queridos de esta casa.
Tu paso por el Revolución deja huella en el diamante,… pic.twitter.com/B8SQTZznOz— Algodoneros Unión Laguna (@AlgodonerosUL) December 27, 2025
Torres, 32, put together a monster season for the Algodoneros in 2025. He had 27 home runs, 79 RBIs, and a slash line of .347/.425/.730 in 326 at-bats before heading to the Dominican Republic, where he’s playing in LIDOM this winter with the Gigantes del Cibao. Torres is a right-handed hitter who can provide some depth in the Yankees’ farm system and could possibly carve out a platoon role.
The Yankees have had success going down this route before when they signed catcher J.C. Escarra to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training two years ago. Escarra was playing for the Algodoneros de Guasave in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico in 2023.
Torres is a long shot to break camp with the Yankees. The more realistic route could be an assignment to their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, or their Double-A affiliate, the Somerset Patriots. Escarra had to go through both of these levels before he made his debut with the Yankees in 2025.
The Yankees need a right-handed hitting outfielder and first base option, but it’s still possible they re-sign free agent Cody Bellinger or fill that role with another external or internal option.
As it stands right now, Jasson Dominguez is the likely starter in left field. Their bench options include Amed Rosario, Oswaldo Cabrera, Escarra, and Spencer Jones, who could possibly be in line for a roster spot.
If Torres can hit well in spring training or the minors, it’s possible he could be used as a fill-in, if an injury takes place. Torres has played with the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna for the past five seasons. Similar to Escarra, he was drafted by a Major League Baseball team and didn’t make it past Triple-A, having been picked by the San Diego Padres in the fourth round of the MLB Draft in 2014. He made it to Triple-A in 2016, but was released by the Padres prior to the 2018 season. He was signed by the Texas Rangers and played in 35 games for Triple-A Round Rock before being released, and finished the 2018 season with the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association.
It has been six seasons since Torres has played in the affiliated minor leagues. Torres was also the first player in the history of the Farm League to sign with an MLB organization.
Graphic: Nicholas Torres was named MVP of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol for the 2025 season. (Illustration courtesy of the LMB)
