The Guardians officially announced their 2022 full coaching staff, with Joe Torres joining the mix as an assistant pitching coach. Torres fills the role left open when Ruben Niebla left the Guardians in October to become the Padres’ new pitching coach.
The 10th overall pick of the 2000 draft, Torres pitched 13 seasons in the Angels (his original team), White Sox, Dodgers, Rangers, and Rockies farm systems, plus a year in independent ball. Moving into coaching after his playing career was over, Torres has spent the last five seasons with Cleveland, working as a pitching coach with their rookie ball, low-A and high-A affiliates before working as the organization’s minor league pitching coordinator for the last two seasons.
The 39-year-old Bronx native now takes his first job on a Major League staff, joining pitching coach Carl Willis and bullpen coach Brian Sweeney as the Guardians’ pitching braintrust. Torres and new hitting coach Chris Valaika are the only new members to join a largely stable Cleveland staff under returning manager Terry Francona.