The Guardians introduced they’ve introduced again former high outfield prospect George Valera on a minor league deal. He’ll get an invitation to massive league Spring Coaching as a non-roster participant.
Valera, 24, was a notable worldwide novice signee again in 2017. He raked within the low minors and received to Double-A at age 20. Valera’s offensive promise made him certainly one of Cleveland’s most touted minor leaguers. He landed within the again half of Baseball America’s total Prime 100 prospects coming into each 2022 and ’23. The Guardians made the simple name to place him on the 40-man roster after the ’21 season reasonably than expose him to the Rule 5 draft.
The left-handed hitter’s inventory has dropped considerably over the previous couple years. Whereas Valera had a formidable age-21 season at Double-A, he hasn’t carried that over to the highest minor league degree. Over elements of three seasons with Triple-A Columbus, he owns a middling .229/.336/.424 batting line. He has walked at a powerful 13.5% clip however gone down on strikes in 26.7% of his 865 Triple-A plate appearances.
A litany of accidents hasn’t executed him any favors. Valera has missed time with hamstring points and underwent surgical procedure to restore a hamate fracture in his proper hand over the 2022-23 offseason. His ’24 marketing campaign was lower brief in September, as he injured his proper knee and required patellar tendon surgical procedure. That got here with at the least a six-month restoration timeline, so his availability for Spring Coaching video games is in query.
Cleveland not felt they may carry that profile on their 40-man roster. They designated Valera for project final week as they added 4 gamers to the roster to make sure they wouldn’t lose them within the Rule 5 draft. The non-tender deadline allowed the Guards to chop Valera unfastened with out placing him on waivers. He had a number of days to gauge the market however seemingly didn’t discover any staff springing to supply him a 40-man spot. Valera returns to the one group he’s recognized however might want to play his means again onto the roster as he tries to succeed in the majors.
