George Valera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Valera |
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Valera with the Cleveland Guardians in 2023
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| Cleveland Guardians | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 13, 2000 Queens, New York, U.S. |
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George Valera (born November 13, 2000) is an American professional baseball outfielder. He plays for the Cleveland Guardians organization.
Contents
George Valera's Baseball Journey
Early Life and Joining the Team
George Valera was born in Queens, New York. When he was 13, his family moved to San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He loved baseball and signed with the Cleveland Indians on July 2, 2017. He joined them as an international free agent. This means he was a player from another country who could sign with any team.
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Valera began his professional baseball career in 2018. He played for the rookie-level Arizona League Indians. He played well, hitting for a high batting average. In 2019, he moved up to the Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Later that year, he was promoted to the Single-A Lake County Captains. He hit eight home runs and had 32 RBI (runs batted in) that season.
The 2020 baseball season was canceled for minor league players. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Valera returned to play in 2021. He split his time between the Lake County Captains and the Double-A Akron RubberDucks. He had a great year, hitting 19 home runs and stealing 11 bases.
Moving Up to the Guardians
In November 2021, the Cleveland Indians changed their name to the Cleveland Guardians. They added Valera to their 40-man roster. This protects a player from being picked by another team in the Rule 5 draft. In 2022, Valera played 132 games. He split his time between Akron and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. He hit 24 home runs and had 82 RBI.
Recent Seasons and Challenges
Valera started the 2023 season with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. He played 73 games and hit 10 home runs. He also began the 2024 season with the Columbus Clippers. He played 90 games, hitting 17 home runs and bringing in 50 runs.
In September 2024, Valera had to have surgery. He injured his right knee, tearing a patellar tendon. This injury ended his season. After the season, the Guardians decided to make him a free agent. However, Valera re-signed with the Guardians on November 25, 2024. He signed a minor league contract. This contract included an invitation to major league spring training. This means he will get a chance to try out for the main team.
