21 Luis Torrens C

Torrens was sent to Double-A San Antonio on Wednesday.

Torrens was plucked from Low-A in the Rule 5 draft last year and the Padres managed to keep him on their roster for the entire season despite him being clearly not major-league ready. The 21-year-old hit just .163/.243/.203 in 139 plate appearances, though it's tough to blame him for that, as he really should have been spending the year at High-A. He'll head back to a level that will suit him better this season and is likely at least a year away from returning to the big leagues.

Torrens (oblique) went 1-for-1 and scored a run Tuesday against the Cubs.

Torrens entered the game in the seventh inning and caught the remainder of the game for the Padres. Now that he's back in full health, Torrens should appear in a few more spring games for San Diego, although it's expected that he'll return to the minors prior to the upcoming season.

Torrens has been sidelined with a minor oblique injury this spring, Bill Center of MLB.com reports.

Torrens has only made three plate appearances this spring, but manager Andy Green stated Thursday that the backstop is nearing a return to the field. With Austin Hedges and one of A.J. Ellis or Raffy Lopez set to man catching duties at the big-league level this upcoming season, Torrens will likely kick off the 2018 campaign in the minors.

Torrens will likely spend most if not all of 2018 in the minors, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The 22-year-old spent all of last season on the active roster, but it was more out of necessity rather than a reflection of his performance. He hadn't played an inning above Low-A prior to 2017, but he had to stay in the majors all season if the Padres wanted to keep him due to his status as a Rule 5 selection. Perhaps Torrens would be in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot if he had hit better, but his .163 batting average left much to be desired. He'll head back to the low minors for more seasoning, likely looking toward 2019 or 2020 for a return trip to San Diego.

Torrens got the nod behind the dish and went 0-for-3 in Thursday's win over the Cardinals.

It was the 21-year-old's first start since Aug. 13 and just his third start this month. The Padres are carrying three catchers and Torrens represents their worst offensive option (.171/.240/.216 in 124 plate appearances). The club is simply protecting the Rule 5 draft pick from being exposed on waivers, but fantasy owners shouldn't be burdened with the same responsibility.