Danny Valencia, Infield

Date of Birth: 9/19/1984
Birthplace: Miami, Florida
College: University of Miami

Danny Valencia, infielder, started playing team baseball as a child and by the time he reached high school, he was a top player. He was drafted in 2006 by the Minnesota Twins and he played in their minor league system from 2006 through part of 2010.

Valencia joined the Twins for 85 games in 2010. He finished the season with 93 hits, 18 doubles, and a .311 batting average. The following season was his only full season in the major leagues. In 2011, he had 139 hits, 28 doubles, 15 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .246 batting average in 154 games. Defensively, he led all major league third basemen in assists that year.

In August, 2012, after batting just .198 in 34 games, the Twins traded Valencia to the Boston Red Sox. He played in just 10 games with the Red Sox, spending the rest of the season in the minor leagues.

The Red Sox traded Valencia to the Baltimore Orioles in November, 2012. He spent most of the 2013 season in the minors, playing in just 52 games with the Orioles. He finished the season with 49 hits, 14 doubles, 8 home runs, and a .304 batting average.

Valencia was traded to the Kansas City Royals in December, 2013. After 36 games with the Royals this season, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 28, 2014. He finished the 2014 season with 68 hits, 16 doubles, and a .258 batting average in 36 games with the Royals and 50 games with the Blue Jays.

Valencia and the Blue Jays agreed to a one-year, $1,675,000 contract on February 6, 2015. The Blue Jays designated him for assignment on August 1, 2015. Two days later, he was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. He finished the 2015 season with a .290 batting average, 100 hits, 23 doubles, 18 home runs, and 66 RBIs in 58 games with the Blue Jays and 47 games with the Athletics. Defensively, he played at first base, second base, and third base, as well as in both left field and right field.

In 2016, Valencia batted .287 with 135 hits, 22 doubles, 17 home runs, and 51 RBIs in 130 games. Defensively, he played 18 games at first base, 68 games at third base, 1 game in left field, and 37 games in right field.

Valencia was traded to the Seattle Mariners on November 12, 2016. He batted .256 in 130 games in 2017. He finished the season with 115 hits, 19 doubles, 15 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 122 strikeouts to 40 walks. Defensively, as a first baseman in 118 games, he made 64 assists, 98 double plays, 897 putouts, and 11 errors.

Valencia elected free agency on November 2, 2017. He signed a minor league contract with the Orioles on March 3, 2018. He was released on August 15th. In 78 games in 2018, he batted .263 with 67 hits. Defensively, he played 39 games at third base and 19 games in right field.

Valencia didn't play professional baseball in 2019 and 2020.

Valencia played in the independent Atlantic League in 2021. He also played in the Olympics for Team Israel.

Career batting statistics for Valencia through 2018 include:

• 864 games played
• 795 hits
• 154 doubles
• 397 RBIs
• 651 strikeouts to 217 walks
• .268 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Valencia at third base through 2018 include:

• 507 games played
• 939 assists
• 80 double plays
• 286 putouts
• 52 errors
• .959 fielding percentage

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Danny Valencia
ESPN - Danny Valencia