2016 Mets draft profile: LHP Placido Torres

Name: Placido Torres
Born: Moncion, Dominican Republic
Age: 21 (8/27/94)
Height/Weight: 5'11"/160 lbs
Position: LHP
Bats/Throws: L/LSchool: Tusculum College (Tusculum, Tennessee)

Placido Torres was born in Moncion, Dominican Republic, but his family moved to the United States when he was a youngster, settling in North Brunswick, New Jersey. He graduated from North Brunswick Township High School, where he was a perennial All-Star and All-State athlete. He attended ASA College, where he served as the staff ace. In 2013, he went 7-3 with them, posting a 1.57 ERA in 69 innings, striking out 74. In 2014, he went 8-1, posting a 0.74 ERA in 69 innings with 83 strikeouts.

Torres transferred to Tusculum College as a junior and once again emerged as his school's staff ace. In 2015, his first season with the Pioneers, he went 9-3, posting a 2.43 ERA in 85.1 innings with 110 strikeouts. He was even better in 2016, going 11-0 posting a 0.70 ERA in 116 innings with an eye-popping 162 strikeouts. He faced only competition from Division II schools, but its hard to not be impressed.

Torres throws from a high 3/4 arm angle, contorting his body such that the high 3/4 arm slot almost becomes overhand. He turns his back to the hitter slightly and tucks his body into his high leg kick, hiding the ball from hitters very well. He does not take much of a stride off the mound, and his follow-through does not leave him in fielding position particularly well, as his momentum causes him to fall off to the third base side.

Torres does not have explosive stuff, but he makes the best of his undersized frame. His fastball sits in the high-80s and low-90s, but the velocity is just fine for a southpaw. His curveball ordinarily is fringe-average, but shows average at times. He has proven durable enough to start throughout his college career, but as he progresses through the professional ranks, it is doubtful that he will remain a starter thanks to his slight size and his limited repertoire.