What Happened to Abraham Toro?

Abraham Toro is a professional baseball player who currently plays in the minor leagues for the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Toro began his career in the Houston Astros organization, and made his Major League debut in 2019.

However, in December 2022, Toro was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Milwaukee Brewers, along with Jesse Winker, in exchange for Kolten Wong. Since then, Toro has been playing in the minors for the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds.

In this blog post, we will explore what happened to Abraham Toro after the trade, including his contract, performance in the minors, and what the future might hold for him.

The Trade

On December 2, 2022, the Seattle Mariners traded Abraham Toro and Jesse Winker to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Kolten Wong. This trade was significant for both teams, as each player involved brought a unique set of skills and experience to their new team.

Abraham Toro was a rising star in the Mariners organization, having been acquired from the Houston Astros earlier in the 2021 season. He had played in 55 games for the Mariners in 2021, batting .242 with 5 home runs and 25 RBI.

He was seen as a versatile player who could play multiple positions, including third base, first base, and designated hitter.

Jesse Winker was a left-handed hitting outfielder who had played his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds prior to being traded to the Mariners in this deal.

In 2021, he had a breakout season, batting .307 with 24 home runs and 77 RBI in 112 games. He was seen as a key addition to the Mariners’ outfield, which had been a weakness for the team in previous seasons.

In exchange for Toro and Winker, the Mariners received Kolten Wong, a second baseman who had spent his entire career with the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers prior to this trade.

Wong was a two-time Gold Glove winner and had been a consistent performer at the plate, batting .266 with 63 home runs and 381 RBI in 1022 career games. He was seen as a significant upgrade for the Mariners at second base, a position where they had struggled to find consistent production in recent years.

The Contract

After being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, Abraham Toro signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract for the 2023 season, avoiding salary arbitration. This contract represents a significant pay raise for Toro, who had been making the league minimum salary prior to the trade.

Salary arbitration is a process by which a player and a team negotiate a new contract if they are unable to reach an agreement on their own. The player submits a salary figure to an arbitrator, and the team submits a counteroffer.

The arbitrator then selects one of the two figures as the player’s new salary for the upcoming season. This process is typically used for players who are eligible for arbitration, which includes players who have at least three years of Major League service time but have not yet become free agents.

By signing a one-year contract with the Brewers, Toro was able to avoid salary arbitration altogether. This means that he and the team were able to come to an agreement on his salary without the need for an arbitrator to intervene.

This is often seen as a preferable outcome for both players and teams, as it allows them to avoid the uncertainty and potential acrimony that can come with the arbitration process.

Toro’s contract for the 2023 season represents a significant investment by the Brewers in his potential. Although he has not yet established himself as a star at the Major League level, the team clearly sees something in him that they believe can contribute to their success in the coming season.

Whether Toro will be able to live up to these expectations remains to be seen, but his contract represents a significant vote of confidence from the Brewers organization.

The Minors

After signing a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2023 season, Abraham Toro was optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to begin the year.

Being optioned to the minors means that the player is being sent down from the Major Leagues to play in the lower levels of professional baseball.

There are a variety of reasons why a team might send a player to the minors. One common reason is to give the player more playing time and experience.

Players who are struggling at the Major League level may benefit from playing against lesser competition in the minors, where they can work on specific aspects of their game without the pressure of performing at the highest level.

Additionally, players who are coming back from injury or who have not played in a while may need time in the minors to regain their form and build up their stamina.

For Abraham Toro, being sent to the minors likely represents an opportunity for him to get more playing time and work on specific aspects of his game.

Although he has shown flashes of potential at the Major League level, he has not yet established himself as an everyday player. By playing in the minors, he can get regular at-bats and work on his skills in a lower-pressure environment.

Teams also hope to accomplish specific goals with players in the minors. For example, they may want a player to work on their defense at a specific position, or to refine their approach at the plate.

By giving players specific goals to work towards, teams can help them develop their skills and become more complete players.

Ultimately, being sent to the minors is not always a negative thing for a player. It can represent an opportunity for them to develop their skills and work towards becoming a more complete player, which can ultimately benefit them and their team in the long run.

Toro’s Performance

Abraham Toro has had a solid start to the 2023 season in the minors with the Nashville Sounds. In 17 games played as of May 3, 2023, he is batting .284 with 1 home run, 7 RBI, and an OPS of .762.

While these numbers may not jump off the page, they do represent a solid start to the season for Toro, who is working to establish himself as a consistent and reliable performer.

One noteworthy statistic for Toro so far this season is his strikeout rate. In 67 plate appearances, he has only struck out 7 times, which represents a strikeout rate of just over 10%. This is an improvement over his strikeout rate at the Major League level in 2021, where he struck out in just over 22% of his plate appearances.

While these numbers are just a small sample size, they do suggest that Toro is making progress in his development as a player. By improving his strikeout rate and continuing to work on his skills in the minors, he could put himself in a position to contribute at the Major League level later in the season.

The Future

The future for Abraham Toro is uncertain, but there are a few things that we can speculate on based on his performance so far and the needs of the Milwaukee Brewers.

While Toro has had a solid start to the 2023 season in the minors, he is currently behind several other players on the Brewers’ depth chart at third base and other positions.

The Brewers have a talented roster and are currently in first place in their division, so they may not feel a sense of urgency to call Toro up to the Major Leagues right away.

However, injuries and other factors can change the team’s needs quickly. If the Brewers were to suffer an injury to one of their infielders or if they feel that Toro could provide a spark to the team, they may consider calling him up later in the season.

Ultimately, the decision on when to call up Toro will likely come down to a variety of factors, including his performance in the minors, the needs of the Brewers, and the team’s overall goals for the season.

However, Toro’s solid start to the season and his potential as a versatile player who can play multiple positions make him a valuable asset for the Brewers, and it’s likely that we will see him in the Major Leagues at some point in the future.

Abraham Toro’s Career Statistics at the Major League Level

FAQs

What position does Abraham Toro play?

Abraham Toro is a versatile player who can play multiple positions, including third base, first base, and designated hitter. He has also played some second base and left field during his career.

How did Abraham Toro perform at the Major League level in 2021?

In 2021, Abraham Toro played in 55 games for the Seattle Mariners, batting .242 with 5 home runs and 25 RBI. While these numbers were not eye-popping, he did show flashes of potential and was seen as a player with a bright future.

What other notable achievements has Abraham Toro had in his career so far?

Abraham Toro is perhaps best known for hitting a walk-off grand slam in his Major League debut with the Houston Astros in 2019. He was also named a Midwest League All-Star in 2018 while playing in Single-A.

What is Abraham Toro’s background and how did he get into baseball?

Abraham Toro was born in Canada to parents of Colombian and Cuban descent. He grew up playing baseball and hockey, but eventually decided to focus on baseball. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB draft.

What is Abraham Toro’s potential as a player?

Abraham Toro has shown potential as a versatile player who can contribute on both offense and defense. While he has yet to establish himself as an everyday player at the Major League level, he has shown flashes of brilliance and has a high ceiling. The Milwaukee Brewers clearly see something in him, as evidenced by the trade that brought him to the team and the contract they offered him for the 2023 season.

Conclusion

Abraham Toro has had a busy few months, having been traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Milwaukee Brewers in December 2022 and subsequently signing a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Brewers for the 2023 season.

While he has yet to make an appearance at the Major League level in 2023, Toro has been playing well in the minors for the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds.

Toro’s future is uncertain, but he has shown promise as a versatile player who can play multiple positions and contribute on both offense and defense. While he may not be called up to the Major Leagues right away, he could provide a spark for the Brewers later in the season if they need a boost.

Overall, Toro’s journey so far highlights the unpredictable nature of professional baseball, where players can be traded or sent down to the minors at a moment’s notice.

However, his talent and potential make him an exciting player to watch, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to develop and contribute to the Brewers’ success in the coming years.