American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report name Milwaukee Milkmen infielder Bryan Torres as the American Association Most Valuable Player.

Milkmen’s Bryan Torres Named MVP

On Friday, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report named Milwaukee Milkmen infielder Bryan Torres as the American Association MVP. Torres led the American Association in batting average for the second straight season and set an American Association record for stolen bases in a season.

Torres began the season hitting .349 in May. He appeared in 16 of the team’s first 17 contests. The infielder set the tone early, recording 11 stolen bases in the first month, serving notice that he intended to shatter the American Association mark for stolen bases (62). Torres scored 15 runs and drove in nine, recording a .427 on-base percentage.

In June, Milwaukee was the hottest team in the American Association, going 18-8. Torres led the way, leading the team with a .330 batting average in 25 games. He scored 24 runs and had 13 RBI. Torres continued to chase on the stolen base mark, recording 19 steals in 21 attempts. Only four of his 30 hits were for extra bases, all doubles.

Torres was on fire in July, hitting .391 in 26 games. He scored 32 runs and drove in 30, hitting 14 extra-base hits during the month. That included hitting eight homers, his first homers of the season. The stolen base numbers did not diminish, however, as Torres stole 17 bases in 20 chances. He posted a .465 on-base percentage and a .664 slugging percentage, earning Player of the Month honors.

In August, the infielder hit .400 in 21 games, stealing 22 of 25 bases to surpass the mark set by Alvaro Rondon. Torres scored 19 runs and had 11 RBI, producing 11 extra-base hits, including three home runs. He posted an unbelievable .500 on-base percentage and a .612 slugging percentage.

In the final four games of the season, Torres solidified his second straight batting championship, going 4-10 with four runs scored and four RBI. He added two more stolen bases to his record and had an on-base percentage above .400 and a slugging percentage above .600 for the third straight month.

Torres finished with the top batting average in the American Association, hitting .370 in 90 games. He was also first in runs scored (94) and in stolen bases (71). Despite only producing 11 homers, the infielder finished fifth in total bases (194) and was third in walks (64). His on-base percentage (.464) led the American Association.

Bryan Torres was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 2015. He spent six seasons in the minor leagues, reaching AA-Richmond in 2021. In those six seasons, Torres hit .278 with 119 runs scored and 47 stolen bases in 250 games. Last season he joined the Milkmen where he appeared in 93 games, leading the league with a .374 batting average. Torres scored 73 runs and drove in 56, posting a .435 on-base percentage. He produced only three home runs last season, but blew that number away this year, finishing with 11. Torres stole 22 bases last season.

Earlier this week, Torres had his contract purchased by us the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

We Should Mention

Kansas City Monarchs catcher Chris Herrmann finished second in the voting for American Association MVP. Herrmann had a monster year, finishing third in batting average (.355), fifth in home runs (23), and was tied for the league lead in RBI (88). The Monarchs catcher led the league with 224 total bases and had 49 extra-base hits, second in the league. His .439 on-base percentage trailed only Torres and he finished tied for second in slugging percentage at .617.

Chicago Dogs shortstop Josh Altmann finished third in the MVP voting. Altmann was in his first season with Chicago, and put together an amazing campaign, finishing tied for second in home runs (26) and tied for first in RBI (88). The Dogs shortstop with second in total bases (222), third in triples (5), and first in extra-base hits (57). He finished fourth in slugging percentage (.595).

By Robert Pannier