Carlos Valderrama

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #26 prospect in 2004
  Valderrama has been one of the Giants' better outfield prospects for years, and ranked in the top 10 before a rotator cuff injury to his right shoulder in 2001 stunted his progress. His arm is healthy, though its strength hasn't quite come back to where it used to be and now grades as average or a tick below. More important, the injury cost him a year of development time, and he had to spend much of 2002 in high Class A because he was limited to DH. Ready for the outfield again in 2003, Valderrama showed tools that tease the Giants but continued to display maddening inconsistency. He isn't an efficient defender in center field, which is where he needs to play because he lacks the power for an outfield corner. However, he seems to think he is a power hitter and doesn't take full advantage of his plus speed. Valderrama had a strong winter in his native Venezuela, but must produce more in the United States before San Francisco considers him anything more than a fourth outfielder. He's ticketed for a full season in Triple-A this year.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #18 prospect in 2003
  Once considered the organization's lone true five-tool prospect, Valderrama was the talk of San Francisco's big league camp in 2001. Then he tore his right rotator cuff that May and has been battling the injury ever since. He was almost all the way back last spring, but he pushed himself too hard in spring training and suffered a setback. He never took the field in 2002, getting only DH duty. He had another operation to clean out his shoulder after the season and the Giants hope he'll be at full strength this year. If so, Valderrama still could become the power-hitting center fielder they once thought he was. How much his defensive instincts and arm strength have suffered remains to be seen. There's nothing wrong with his speed, and he's capable of turning walks into doubles. Problem is, he doesn't walk much. Valderrama often overswings, leading to too many strikeouts, but can really drive the ball when he connects. If he has fully recovered from his shoulder problems, he could make his big league debut in 2003.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #17 prospect in 2002
  While he shares a name with the flamboyant Colombian soccer player, this Valderrama has more to his game than his legs. He entered 2001 as the Giants' only bona fide outfield prospect. He was coming off the first full healthy season of his career and had shown elements of all five tools, with the best being baserunning and hitting. Valderrama made a strong showing in spring training and got off to a good start last year in Double-A, where he exhibited better plate discipline and improved defensive play in center field. Then he tore his left rotator cuff trying to make a sliding catch on wet turf May 19. Valderrama had surgery and didn't return during the regular season, but encouraged the Giants by taking Tony Torcato's place late in the Arizona Fall League season and going 6-for-21. A healthy Valderrama will try to regain his form in 2002, most likely starting back in Shreveport.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #9 prospect in 2001
  The Giants' efforts in Latin America took a huge hit with the loss of Luis Rosa, who resigned in 1997 after being accused of demanding sexual favors from Latin players in return for a chance to play for the team. Rosa signed both Pedro Feliz and Valderrama. Valderrama battled arm, back and leg injuries in 1998-99 before putting it all together with a complete, healthy season in the California League. He is the closest thing the Giants have to a five-tool prospect. When healthy and confident, he has shown good bat speed, a plus arm, the speed to be a basestealing force, and the range and savvy to play center field. Valderrama's slight build makes him injury-prone, and the Giants weren't always convinced he wanted to excel badly enough. Defensively, he has the tools to play center field, but his performance has been erratic, especially with his routes to the ball and fundamentals like hitting the cutoff man. He is the top outfield prospect in the organization but has just one solid full season under his belt. If Arturo McDowell, a superior center fielder, joins him in Double-A this year, Valderrama might move to right field.