BRIAN RICHESSON Toregas leads Scrappers in more ways than one

NILES -- Wyatt Toregas has been hovering among the New York-Penn League batting leaders for much of the season.
And for good reason.
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers catcher, a former standout at Virginia Tech, has carried high expectations into his first year of professional baseball.
That's common for many players. But unlike other players, Toregas has found the adjustment rather smooth because he's quickly learned how to train his body for the game's rigors.
"Baseball up here is a lot easier than college just in terms of when you wake up in the morning, your whole day is built around baseball and not school," said Toregas, a native of Ashburn, Va., who speaks vibrantly about the game.
Wake-up call
"You wake up and you're like, 'All right, I get to eat some breakfast and go to the park, take batting practice, play a game, go to sleep and then do it all over again the next day,' " Toregas added. "And I get paid for it."
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Toregas, 21, hit the ball well in his first two years at Virginia Tech (.347 and .319) before dropping slightly -- to .280 this year as a junior.
After being drafted in the 24th round by the Cleveland Indians, Toregas responded well to the new coaching and routine.
"I got up here, and I'm hitting the ball well," he said. "I'm getting to know the pitchers better as a catcher, and that's helping me. I'm trying to learn what everybody's doing, and I'm just trying to fit in a little bit."
Going into weekend play, Toregas ranked fourth in league batting with a .345 average. He had hit three home runs with 17 RBIs.
"I have high expectations, so it's not surprising," Toregas said of his quick start. "I'm competitive, and I like to do well. When I do well, I'm not surprised by it. I kind of expect it from myself."
Toregas' offensive production most likely is a byproduct of past experience. He played in the Cape Cod wooden bat league last season, and he gained experience with the wooden bat in the previous two summers.
Players use aluminum bats in college and therefore have to adjust to wood once they reach the pro level.
Preference
Toregas said he prefers the wooden bat more anyway.
"You cheat yourself with aluminum because you hit a ball well and then you try to start hitting balls out [of the park] with the aluminum bat and you still mis-hit it," Toregas said.
"I like wood better because I'm more consistent and you have to have a good swing every night," he added. "Your swing has to be perfect every time because with the wood if you mis-hit, it's not going anywhere."
While Toregas is finding his place at the plate, he's been working hard behind it, as well, knowing that catchers' mistakes are more noticeable.
"I'm always taking stuff in from coaches and other pitchers. As a catcher you have to conform to them [the pitchers] since it's based around them, also," he said. "Defensively, we work more intense here than we did in college."
richesson@vindy.com