MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State left-handed pitcher Eric Torres was selected in the 14th round (No. 411 overall) by the Los Angeles Angels on the final day of the 2021 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.
Torres is the fourth Wildcat to be taken in the 2021 MLB Draft, as Jordan Wicks, Carson Seymour and Zach Kokoska were chosen over the first 10 rounds. Four selections within the first 15 rounds equal the most in program history (2011), with the four total selections marking the most since 2017.
Torres, along with Wicks and Seymour, are the first trio of pitchers in K-State history to be taken in the first 15 rounds.
A product of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Torres made a team-high 25 relief appearances in 2021, going 4-0 with a save and a 2.75 ERA. He struck out 58 hitters while walking just nine over 39 1/3 innings pitched. Torres held opponents to one or fewer earned runs in 18 of his 25 outings.
Over his last 25 1/3 innings (13 appearances), the six-foot Torres allowed just two earned runs for a 0.71 ERA while racking up 38 strikeouts. He set season highs with 4 1/3 innings and eight strikeouts in his final outing of the season, scattering two hits in a 5-2 victory over TCU at the Big 12 Championship.
He totaled 6 1/3 scoreless innings over three games at the 2021 Big 12 Championship, earning all-tournament team recognition. During Big 12 play, he went 1-0 with a 2.33 earned run average and 28 strikeouts.
In three seasons at K-State, Torres has appeared in 49 times with a 5-2 record, two saves and a 3.51 ERA. He has totaled 105 career strikeouts over 74 1/3 innings pitched while opponents are hitting .204 against him.
Torres is the second Wildcat to be selected by the Angels organization, joining Wade Hinkle in 2012.
Head coach Pete Hughes has now overseen 79 draftees in his 24-year head coaching career, with five coming in three seasons at K-State.
Wildcats in the 2021 MLB Draft
Player / Round / Pick / Team
LHP Jordan Wicks / 1 / 21 / Chicago Cubs
RHP Carson Seymour / 6 / 172 / New York Mets
OF Zach Kokoska / 10 / 290 / Colorado Rockies
LHP Eric Torres / 14 / 411 / Los Angeles Angels