"Future Met"; "Weird way to spell Tatsuya Imai" - Fans buzz as Yankees reportedly land Mexican League MVP Nick Torres

The New York Yankees have been on the lookout for outfield pieces in the offseason after All-Star slugger Cody Bellinger became a free agent after the end of last season.

While the Yankees have been pursuing Bellinger in free agency, the Bronx Bombers have reportedly signed reigning Mexican League MVP Nick Torres this week.

However, MLB fans are divided on the Yankees' latest addition to the team.

"We got our guy! LFG!! He’s also gonna make a great future Met." "That’s a weird way to spell tatsuya Imai." "He’ll go from Mexico to China in about a year or so when the Yankees ruin him." "As I've stated many times, Hal is just prepping for 2027 lock out....not committing to a lot of new salary for after 2026...." "Say what you want but the Blue Jays picked up on Alejandro Kirk the same way." "Yeah. He’s 32 and is from the Mexican league. Not overly excited about this signing."

Torres was drafted by the Padres in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB draft but never climbed up to the majors. He played 212 Double-A games and 71 Triple-A games, hitting a combined .267 before joining the Mexican League in 2019.

The 32-year-old outfielder slashed .347/.425/.730 with 27 home runs and 79 RBIs in 86 games for Unión Laguna last season. He has been one of the most consistent hitters for the Mexican team, hitting .343 with a 1.025 OPS since 2021.

Cody Bellinger to reject Mets and extend Yankees stay per MLB insider

Nick Torres' signing comes amid the Yankees' strong interest in a reunion with Cody Bellinger in free agency. The Yankees are facing competition from crosstown rivals, the New York Mets, for Bellinger.

However, MLB insider Jon Heyman shared that unlike Juan Soto, who joined the Mets last offseason after a season with the Bronx Bombers, Bellinger won't make the switch to Queens.

"For the second straight year the Yankees and Mets are battling over a star outfielder, and this time it’s Cody Bellinger," Heyman said. "The Yankees have made him their priority and seem pretty confident that, unlike superstar Juan Soto, he won’t skip to Queens. Aaron Judge is said to be a big advocate for re-signing Bellinger."

Despite their strong interest, it remains to be seen if the Yankees can agree to Bellinger's demands or pivot to a different option ahead of the 2026 season.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash