Daily Archives: April 14, 2024

VISALIA’S TORIN, LAKE ELSINORE’S BESHEARS LEADING CAL LEAGUE HITTERS

 

Visalia INF Cristofer Torin and Lake Elsinore 2B Jay Beshears are swinging hot bats to start the 2024 season, both appearing at or near the top of numerous offensive categories on the second weekend of the season:

AVG OBP SLG OPS
Torin .480 (1) .606 (2) .720 (3) 1.326 (1)
Beshears .435 (2) .629 (1) .696 (4) 1.325 (2)

18-year old Torin returned to the Rawhide this season after finishing 2023 with a 23-game stint. After slashing .236/.314/.300 there last season, Torin entered 2024 as the Diamondbacks’ #7 prospect per MLB.com.

In the first eight games this season, Torin has hit safely in all but one, including a 4-hit, 5-RBI game on April 7th.

After signing with the Diamondbacks in 2022, the Venezuelan played in the DSL that year and started 2023 in the ACL before being sent to Visalia.

While Cristofer Torin came into this season as a highly-rated prospect, Jay Beshears has been more under-the-radar. A sixth-round draft choice of the Padres last June, Beshears also went to the ACL, but briefly. After just two games, the 6-4, 215-pound Beshears went to Lake Elsinore for 29 games where he hit .229/.283/.314.

Beshears has hit in all seven games he’s played in this season, with three multi-hit games. He has three doubles, a home run and has drawn 11 walks to lead the California League.

The rain that wrecked the weekend schedule has been the only thing that has been able to slow Torin and Beshears down in the early going.