Eyes on The Latino Business Prize: Gleyber Torres

He is bilingual, well-spoken and thoughtful with a great sense not just of the game of baseball but of community as well, and he has made history at the ripe young age of 23. So, is Gleyber Torres, now the heir apparent at shortstop for the New York Yankees, ready to make that jump to stardom in Gotham?

On a team that boasts so many well-known names, and now adds Gerrit Cole on the mound to the mix, cutting through the clutter to find that business spot in Gotham may be a bit difficult. But if you are a brand looking to buy in now and ride a wave of attention and success, Torres could be the best buy. A two-time All-Star at second base (joining only Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle to achieve that status in the storied history of the Bombers) he now slides across the diamond to a position once owned by Derek Jeter, and one which has drawn the spotlight for rising Latino stars around MLB more than many positions in recent years. It is a combination for the Venezuelan product which can spell big opportunity.

“My focus is really on improving on the field, that’s where I need to be successful first,” the soft spoken Torres told media at the Thurman Munson Dinner in New York in early February, before he headed south to report for Spring Training this week. “Our goal is to win here in New York, and win The World Series, nothing else matters for me right now.”

What does matter for marketers is Torres’ understanding of his role in the game, his maturity beyond his years and his ability to connect with all fans. In a long MLB season where consistency can sometimes get lost, he has stayed grounded and engaged through his early run in New York. “Gleyber Torres in a team of stars is really special,” said longtime Yankees advisor Ray Negron, who has worked with many of the team’s rising Latino stars in the community throughout the years. “His ability to connect with fans almost instantly is uncanny, and I don’t care whether they are a cop in The Bronx or a Dominican girl from Brooklyn. He understands his role, and his ability to impact people, and he takes it very seriously.” Torres also has a good feel for the social side, with over 140,000 followers on Twitter and 415,000 on Instagram, giving him an edge up for brands looking for social involvement in a sport where many athletes are just realizing the brand value of engagement.

While Torres in year three has not reached the brand star power of an Aaron Judge in New York, whose image is abundant on subways and street corners, the power of the growing Latino fan base makes Torres a must watch and must engage for brands who want younger and socially conscious involvement with one on the rise. The key categories…drink, QSR…are still wide open, and his ties to cause marketing, from Make-a-Wish to an event like the Munson dinner, add even more to the mix.

“It’s never easy to say who to align with if you are a brand, but if you wanted to make a bet and say this could be your guy for some time in New York, with a community that is both Spanish and English first, then you have to look at Gleyber Torres. He has all the tools you would want, on and off the field,” Negron added.

As we get going in the Spring, keep your business eye on the Yankees’ shortstop.