No. 1 Pick Torres Shows Early Promise

Pitcher Joe Torres has been worth every penny, so far.

Torres, the Angels’ first pick and the 10th player selected in the June draft, has added 10 pounds and is 1-1 with a 2.93 earned-run average for Class-A Boise. He has 27 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.

Torres, who played at Gateway High in Florida last spring, received a $2.08-million signing bonus. He was 4-4 with a 0.38 ERA his senior year at Gateway. He threw a no-hitter, two one-hitters and a two-hitter.

Meanwhile, outfielder Gary Johnson is solidifying the opinion that he is the Angels’ top prospect. He is hitting .299 with eight home runs and has driven in 49 runs for double-A Erie. He is third on the team in runs batted in despite playing in only 60 games since being promoted from Class-A Lake Elsinore.

Johnson, 25, hit .338 with 13 home runs and drove in 62 runs in 70 games with Lake Elsinore. He was a 19th-round pick out of Brigham Young in 1999.