Baltimore Orioles Add Utility Man Jesmuel Valentin To Organization

The Baltimore Orioles have added Jesmuel Valentin on a minor league deal and assigned him to Double-A.

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias continues to comb through the waiver wire and free agent market to find players he can add to the organization, maybe finding a diamond in the rough somewhere. His latest addition is utility man Jesmuel Valentin.

The move was originally reported by Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com.

Valentin is the same type of player Elias has added numerous times already since assuming his duties. The son of 16-year MLB veteran Jose Valentin has played second base, shortstop, third base, left and right field in his seven seasons in professional baseball. He’s even logged one inning on the mound with the Philadelphia Phillies last season.

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Originally a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Valentin became the “player to be named later” in a deal with the Phillies that sent pitcher Roberto Hernandez to Los Angeles, back in 2014.

In 480 career minor league games, Valentin has produced a slash line of .260/.345/.379  with 83 doubles, 22 triples, and 26 home runs. He brings more speed to the organization and a solid batting eye.

Valentine has swiped 52 bags in his career and recorded a K/BB ratio of 302/212. If you round his 9.8% walk rate at the Double-A level up just a slight tick to 10%, he’s recorded a double-digit walk-rate at every level of the minor leagues.

He made his major league debut last season with the Phillies, appearing in 46 total games and making 89 plate appearances. He hit .177, drew eight walks, and recorded eight extra-base hits, including one triple and one home run.

The switch-hitting utility man was a Top 30 prospect at one point, according to MLB Pipeline’s rankings. He has missed a considerable amount of time with injuries and a 100-game suspension after an arrest stemming from a domestic violence charge. The charges were later dropped, however, Valentin served his full suspension.

He has been assigned to the Bowie Baysox and may see his first playing time this weekend. The Baysox are at home for the first time this weekend, taking on the Harrisburg Senators (Washington National affiliate).