Andrés Torres
January 26, 1978 — Manatí, Puerto Rico
Andrés Yungo Torres Feliciano Jr. is an American former professional baseball player who spent parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball as a switch-hitting center fielder. After years of struggling to establish himself in the minor leagues, he broke out in his early thirties with the San Francisco Giants, becoming one of baseball's most inspiring late-bloomer stories. Torres played a key role in the Giants' 2010 World Series championship run.
Early Life and Amateur Career
Andrés Torres was born on January 26, 1978, in Manatí, Puerto Rico. He grew up passionate about baseball but faced significant personal challenges, including undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that made it difficult for him to focus in school and later contributed to struggles with substance abuse. Torres attended Miami-Dade Community College before transferring to Illinois State University, where his talent as an outfielder caught the attention of professional scouts. The Detroit Tigers selected him in the fourth round of the 1998 MLB Draft, launching a professional career that would prove far more arduous than most. Torres spent much of the next decade bouncing between minor league affiliates and brief major league stints, hampered by his unmanaged ADHD, inconsistent hitting, and periods of self-doubt. His early career was marked more by potential than production, and he was often on the fringes of being released outright from organized baseball.
MLB Career and Breakout with the Giants
Torres made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2002 and later had brief tenures with the Texas Rangers before signing with the San Francisco Giants organization. After receiving treatment for his ADHD and confronting his personal struggles, Torres finally earned a steady role in the Giants' outfield in 2009, at age 31—an unusually late age for a player to break out. That season he led the National League in triples and established himself as an elite defensive center fielder with surprising power and speed. His finest season came in 2010, when he posted career highs across nearly every offensive category, earned a spot on the National League All-Star roster, and helped the Giants capture the World Series title, their first championship since moving to San Francisco. Torres continued his career with the New York Mets in 2011 before returning to the Giants, where he contributed to the team's 2012 World Series championship as well, giving him two rings in three years.
Did You Know?
Andrés Torres was so close to giving up on baseball in his late twenties that he considered quitting the sport entirely before a diagnosis and treatment for ADHD helped turn his career around. He later wrote a memoir, 'Sway: A Runaway Story of Baseball and Family,' chronicling his struggles with addiction and mental health on his path to becoming a World Series champion.
Legacy and Life After Baseball
Torres retired from professional baseball having played for the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets, compiling a career built on defense, hustle, and one of the most remarkable turnaround stories in modern baseball. His journey from a player nearly out of the game in his late twenties to a World Series champion and All-Star in his early thirties resonated widely, particularly among fans and athletes dealing with ADHD and addiction. After retiring, Torres became an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and shared his story publicly, including in his memoir detailing his battles with substance abuse, learning differences, and the discipline required to salvage his career. He remains a respected figure in Giants history and a symbol of perseverance in professional sports, often cited as proof that determination and self-improvement can overcome even the longest odds.