West Springfield native and Valley Blue Sox pitcher Christopher Torres has found a new home to continue his academic and athletic career.
Torres announced on Sunday via X, formerly known as Twitter, that he committed to play Division I baseball at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Torres entered the transfer portal after his sophomore year at Eastern Connecticut State University.
“It feels great to be committed to a competitive division one baseball team, USC Upstate,” Torres said. “It feels like my hard work is paying off, and I’m getting a chance to compete at a high level. Before committing to Upstate, I had many other offers from other competitive schools, such as Florida Atlantic University and Northeastern University.”
But Torres won’t forget his experience there.
“I began my college career at Eastern Connecticut State University,” he said. “I had a great first year with the best teammates and would recommend the school to anyone. I quickly moved from being closer to a starter and got a lot of innings against great teams. Coach Mike Odenwaelder is a tremendous guy who supported me throughout the season and during my move to D-I.
“I chose to enter the transfer portal after pitching against some of the best baseball players in the country while on the Valley Blue Sox. I felt I could be competitive at a D-I college and wanted to see if I could get an offer to play at that level.”
The Spartans, led by head coach Kane Sweeney, compete in the Big South Conference. They finished last season with a record of 36-24 and unsuccessfully reached the Big South Baseball Championship for a fifth consecutive year.
Torres will look to help the University of South Carolina Upstate claim its first title in program history moving forward.
“After touring the USC Upstate college campus, seeing the field and dorms, and meeting the head coach, pitching coach, and strength and conditioning coach (who happens to have graduated from Westfield State College), my family and I knew it was the perfect next step,” Torres said. “I wanted to go to a school with a structured strength and conditioning program as staying strong and healthy is vital to being a successful pitcher and increasing velocity.
“I’m also excited to play for coach Kane Sweeney, who the New York Yankees drafted, my favorite MLB team.”
After helping lead West Springfield past Pope Francis in the Western Massachusetts Class A championship during his senior season in 2023, Torres played in the Futures Collegiate League for the Pittsfield Suns that summer. He is now a current member of the Valley Blue Sox in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
“I love playing for the Valley Blue Sox and have had such a great summer with them on and off the field,” Torres said. “Such as attending a Red Sox game and helping with their summer youth camps. I’ll never forget our trip to play against the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks. Coach Pedro Santiago of the Valley Blue Sox was instrumental in giving me opportunities to be seen by scouts, and I appreciate his help.
“The owner of the organization, Matt Drury, is so generous and has also given me a ton of great baseball advice.”
During his freshman campaign in 2023, Torres recorded 17 strikeouts and nine walks in eight relief appearances for the Suns. The left-handed pitcher also accumulated an impressive 2.59 ERA. After one season in the Berkshires, Torres returned to the Pioneer Valley this year and hasn’t slowed down.
“I think Chris making the jump to D-I is great for him,” Blue Sox manager Pedro Santiago said. “His stuff is electric, and he’s shown all summer that he’s been able to get some of the best guys in the country out. So I do not doubt that he’ll do well.
“And what makes this achievement more special is that Chris’ father, Angel, and I grew up together in the same neighborhood. So I’ve had the opportunity to coach Chris from his youth days when he was 12 years old.”
Entering the 2024 All-Star Break, the Valley Blue Sox (16-18) are 2.5 games behind the Bristol Blues for first place in the West Division. And if the Blue Sox hope to earn another postseason berth, they will lean on Torres. Through nine appearances, he has accumulated 17 strikeouts and two saves.
“Chris has been putting in the hours this summer in the weight room,” Santiago said. “He’s been strict with his workout regimen and routine. This has enabled him to bounce back on short rest if needed.
“But I would like him to continue getting stronger and commit to his strength and conditioning program because it will increase his velocity and stamina on the mound.”
Torres shared some advice for local athletes with the same dream.
“My message to local baseball players that want to continue their baseball career after high school is to keep grinding,” he said. “Even if you make a bad pitch or have a bad game, shake it off and get back out and compete. It’s also important to post videos of your work so colleges can take notice.
“Pick a school where you feel valued and can contribute to its success.”
