Chris Torres Selected by Seattle Mariners in 16th Round of 2026 MLB Draft, Retains Virginia Tech Option
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech transfer commit Chris Torres heard his name called during the third day of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, as the Seattle Mariners selected the USC Upstate left-hander in the 16th round with the 490th overall pick.
The selection gives Torres an important decision over the coming weeks. As a college junior with one season of NCAA eligibility remaining, Torres is not required to sign with the Mariners and can instead honor his commitment to Virginia Tech for the 2027 season if he chooses. He affirmed to me that he is still looking over his options and working on his decision on whether or not to sign with the Mariners or play his final year of college eligibility with Virginia Tech. Torres committed to the Hokies in June after entering the transfer portal following three seasons at USC Upstate.
Torres emerged as one of the top starting pitchers in the Big South this past season, making 16 starts while logging 76.2 innings for the Spartans. He finished the year with a 5-4 record, a 5.28 ERA and a team-leading 71 strikeouts, establishing himself as one of the conference’s most durable starters while consistently working deep into games.
His ability to shoulder a heavy workload made him one of the more attractive pitchers in the transfer portal, particularly for a Virginia Tech program looking to replace significant innings following the departures of Brett Renfrow, Griffin Stieg and several other veteran arms from its 2026 pitching staff. Torres quickly became one of the Hokies’ top portal priorities, committing to John Szefc’s staff less than two weeks after entering the transfer portal.
Prior to arriving at USC Upstate, Torres spent one season at Eastern Connecticut State, where he appeared in 13 games, including six starts, before transferring to the Division I level. Across two seasons with the Spartans, he developed into a dependable weekend starter while continuing to improve his strikeout numbers and overall command against Division I competition.
The 6-foot, 195-pound left-hander projects as an immediate candidate to compete for a weekend rotation spot should he ultimately arrive in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech entered the offseason needing to replace nearly 300 innings from its 2026 pitching staff, making experienced college starters one of the program’s biggest priorities in the transfer portal. Torres’ experience, durability and ability to miss bats made him one of the most accomplished additions of the offseason.
We will have more as this story continues to develop.
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Joshua Poslusny - who goes by Poz - is a Radford University sophomore in the School of Communication. He graduated from Ocean Springs High School in Mississippi in 2024. He has previously done work for The Tech Lunch Pail, Tech Sideline, and Sons of Saturday, among others. He specializes in baseball coverage, which he has been doing for the last year. He also has experience covering football, basketball, and softball.