Orioles' Jesmuel Valentin: Joins Orioles on minor-league deal
Rotowire
Valentin signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles on Thursday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Valentin reached the majors for the first time with the Phillies last season, hitting .177/.258/.304. The Orioles don't have a particularly tough roster to crack, but nothing in Valentin's track record suggests he'd carve out anything more than a utility role.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Valentin was outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Valentin will stick in Philadelphia's organization after passing through waivers untouched. Prior to being designated for assignment over the weekend, Valentin hit .177/.258/.304 across 46 games with the Phillies and .240/.346/.341 across 37 games with the IronPigs.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Valentin was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Saturday.
Valentin was given his first taste of big-league action this season but failed to impress, hitting just .177/.258/.304 in 89 plate appearances. He'll make way on the 40-man roster for fellow utilityman Pedro Florimon, who was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list after recovering from a fractured foot. Valentin's age (24) and ability to play multiple positions could make him appealing to another team, though he hasn't done much to suggest he has much fantasy upside.
Valentin was sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday.
Valentin will head to the minors to make room for the acquisition of Asdrubal Cabrera from the Mets. Valentin struggled to a .177/.258/.304 slash line in 46 games with the Phillies.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Returns from paternity leave
Rotowire
Valentin was reinstated from the paternity list Monday.
Neither Valentin's role nor his performance make him much of a fantasy asset. He's made just four starts despite being with the Phillies since late April and has hit just .216 in 41 plate appearances. Mitch Walding was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Placed on paternity list
Rotowire
Valentin was placed on the paternity list Sunday.
Valentin has been mediocre at best in a bench role for the Phillies this season, hitting .216/.268/.351 with one homer in 41 plate appearances. Dylan Cozens was activated from the disabled list in a corresponding move.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Homer and two doubles
Rotowire
Valentin went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two doubles in Wednesday's 7-2 loss to the Rockies.
The home run was essentially meaningless as far as the game was concerned, coming with two outs in the ninth and Philadelphia trailing by six, but it was a memorable one for Valentin as the first homer of his career. The 24-year-old has played sparingly this season, but he's now hitting .296 as a result of the three-hit day.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Returns from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Phillies recalled Valentin from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Valentin made a strong bid for a utility role in spring training, but he was ultimately squeezed off the Opening Day roster after the Phillies inked a contract extension with Scott Kingery, accelerating the top prospect's arrival to the big leagues. The switch-hitting Valentin has continued to perform well at Lehigh Valley with a .373 on-base percentage and will now get his first promotion to the majors after starting shortstop J.P. Crawford (forearm) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. It's expected that Kingery will see the bulk of the starts at shortstop while Crawford is out, so Valentin isn't expected to see frequent at-bats while he serves as a backup across multiple infield spots.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Phillies optioned Valentin to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Valentin was expected to have a good chance at cracking Philadephia's Opening Day roster, but top prospect Scott Kingery's breakout performance this spring altered the team's plans. The 23-year-old will likely need to improve upon last season's .229/.282/.292 slash line with Triple-A Lehigh Valley if he is to earn a promotion in 2018.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Good chance at Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Valentin has a good chance to make the Phillies' Opening Day roster, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The Phillies are likely to use an eight-man bullpen, which leaves room for just three non-catcher bench spots. Valentin has the flexibility needed for a role on a small bench, as he's capable of filling in at both middle-infield spots and has been spending time in the outfield this spring. His primary competition is journeyman Adam Rosales, a 34-year-old with a career 77 wRC+. Valentin struggled to a .229/.282/.292 line in 29 games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year, though he was battling shoulder issues and was shut down for the season in late May. The 23-year-old isn't much of an asset with the bat, with a career .261/.345/.382 line in six minor-league seasons, but in deep NL-only leagues where playing time is a valuable commodity, Valentin warrants some consideration.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Takes reps in outfield
Rotowire
Valentin spent some time in right field Thursday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Valentin is an infielder by trade but this will only enhance his chances of making the Opening Day roster in a utility role. The 23-year-old has yet to play in a game at the major-league level and only appeared in 29 contests with Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in May.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Has season-ending surgery Friday
Rotowire
Valentin had season-ending surgery on his left shoulder Friday, Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia reports.
Valentin will need four to five months of recovery before he can return to the field. He will likely play winter ball in his native Puerto Rico to make up for the lost at-bats this season.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: May miss season following shoulder surgery
Rotowire
Valentin will require surgery on his ailing shoulder that could put him out for the year, Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com reports.
Valentin injured his shoulder diving for a ball earlier in the month, and it seems like the injury is fairly serious. Although it's not yet certain that Valentin's done for the season, prospect Scott Kingery could benefit from the injury and fill the void in Lehigh Valley, although the Phillies aren't willing to make any guarantees on that front.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: On DL with shoulder strain
Rotowire
Valentin was placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Lehigh Valley with a left shoulder strain, Tom Housenick of the Allentown Morning Call reports.
Valentin was hurt while diving for a ball Friday. It is the same injury he suffered during the Caribbean World Series this past offseason. He will have tests Monday to determine the severity of the injury.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Off to slow start at Triple-A
Rotowire
Valentin is hitting .244/.298/.321 with a home run in 78 at-bats for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Valentin hit .361 this spring and nearly won a bench job with the Phillies, but he has gotten off to a slow start in the minors. He is walking less than last season but has also cut back on his strikeouts, so this may be nothing more than a slump that he has to work through. He's a prospect of little interest in fantasy due to his limited power and lack of running game.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Won't make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Valentin did not make the Phillies' 25-man roster and will instead report to Triple-A, Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia reports.
Valentin was battling with Daniel Nava and Brock Stassi for the Phillies' final two bench spots. Although the 23-year-old performed well this spring (.366/.422/.512 in 41 at-bats), Nava and Stassi both hit north of .300 and carried an OPS higher than 1.000, so the Phillies opted to go with the more seasoned pair. Valentin will start the season off at Triple-A where he'll continue to work for a call-up.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Still has shot at earning roster spot
Rotowire
Valentin remains in the mix for a bench job with the Phillies, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com report.
Valentin has hit .378 with a .980 OPS in 41 plate appearances this spring. He doesn't turn 23 until May and would likely be better served by seeing some more time at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but he already has a 40-man spot, which could help his chances of earning a roster spot. He is competing with Brock Stassi and Daniel Nava for one of two bench jobs.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Increasing his versatility
Rotowire
The Phillies are having Valentin get some work at shortstop this spring to increase his versatility, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Valentin signed as a shortstop and has played 87 games at the position in the minor leagues, but he has primarily played second base since the Phillies acquired him from the Dodgers in 2014. He is expected to open the year at Triple-A, but if Freddy Galvis or Andres Blanco suffer an injury before J.P. Crawford is ready for a promotion, it could be Valentin who gets the call to the majors since he is already on the 40-man roster.
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Phillies' Jesmuel Valentin: Returns to action Monday
Rotowire
Valentin (shoulder) saw his first action of the spring Monday, going 0-for-1 after taking over for Cesar Hernandez at second base.
Valentin had been sidelined while he recovered from a separated shoulder that he suffered earlier this month while playing in the Caribbean Series. He is expected to open the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
