Ronald Torreyes – Ultimate utility man or every day player?

The debate has been raging on for a very long time whether or not Ronald Torreyes is an every day player.  It came up last year after he subbed in well during the season, including some clutch hits during the regular season to propel the New York Yankees to the ALCS.  He was never one of the core players, but he has slowly turned himself into an extremely reliable and important part of this Yankees team.

In only 108 games last season, Torreyes compiled an impressive statline of .292 BA, three HR, 36 RBI.  However, it was his poise under pressure and his wizardry in the field that made him a fan favorite.  He is a poor man’s Jose Altuve, breaking barriers for the little guy and showing that his diminutive size does not matter when it comes to baseball.

This season, Torreyes has played in 12 games and is currently batting .417 with four RBI.  He is a spark plug, and deserves all the playing time he can get.  He’s the low man on the totem pole when it comes to the Yankees infield, as Gleyber Torres made the infield a little more crowded, Didi Gregorius is an absolute stud and Miguel Andujar is on fire.  However, Torreyes still needs to get some playing time as he deserves it and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t play at least every other day.

Why he’s an every day player

Stats aside, Torreyes once again is a spark plug for the team.  Whether it be physics defying catches or balls in the dirt that turn into hits, Torreyes continues to impress Yankee fans and brass alike.  He is a great locker room guy, starting a highlight reel last season after each of his teammates’ home runs.  Every time he is in the lineup he does something positive, and he is steady as they come in the field.  He and Aaron Judge have formed a special friendship and their “big and little” dynamic is fun to watch as they always interact as if Torreyes is Judge’s kid.

However, the reason why he deserves to be an every day player is because he has never done anything to prove otherwise.  Torreyes has always been dynamic when in the lineup and there’s no reason for him not to be given a chance other than the fact that it’s an already crowded infield.

Why he’s a utility guy

The Yankees championship teams have always had great utility guys to fill in when injuries hit the core players.  Whether it be Charlie Hayes, Chili Davis, Shane Spencer or Melky Cabrera early in his career, they’ve all contributed in smaller roles and were a bit exposed when they became every day players.  The same notion may ring true for Torreyes.  While he hasn’t proved that he can’t be an every day player due to his lack of opportunity, he also hasn’t necessarily proven that over an entire season he can be THE second baseman of the New York Yankees.  He isn’t the most talented player on the team, or even the infield for that matter and until he actually gets that opportunity we may never know what kind of player he may become.

Overall, it’s a numbers game at this point.  The Yankees brought in Brandon Drury and Torres specifically for that reason.  They don’t believe that Torreyes can be an every day player, and just for precautionary reasons they brought in some serious competition to fight for those two open infield spots.  While the jury is still out on Torreyes, I do believe that given the chance he will prove to be a very special player.  Until then, the debate will still rage on.