George Valera Stats & Scouting Report

AB	323
AVG	.248
OBP	.337
SLG	.452
HR	17

Full name George Valera
Born 11/13/2000 in Queens, NY
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 50/High

Track Record: Valera was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. In 2017, he was the centerpiece of Cleveland’s big play in the international market, signing a $1.3 million deal. He was added to the 40-man roster after the 2021 season and has spent the last two years in the upper minors, primarily at Triple-A. While his progress as a professional has mostly had a consistent upward trend line, Valera’s 2023 season was tough. During spring training he had surgery to repair a broken hamate in his right hand and also suffered a hamstring injury. The pair of injuries mostly kept him out of action until mid June, and he never really got on track.

Scouting Report: Valera has long stood out for his advanced setup at the plate as well as quick hands and an ability to keep the bat in the zone for a long time, traits that enable him to make a lot of hard contact. Despite that loose, easy swing, however, there is some swing-and-miss to his game. Valera has struck out in about one-quarter of his plate appearances in full-season ball. His patience and feel for the zone mean that he also consistently works walks. Valera has above-average raw power and gets to it in games well. He profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He played more center field in 2023, however.

The Future: If Valera is able to bounce back after a season to forget, there’s still plenty of opportunity for him in Cleveland. He looks like a traditional power-hitting corner outfielder, long a position of need for the Guardians. He’ll return to Columbus to begin 2024 and could break through to the big leagues later in the season.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: The Guardians made a splash on the international market in 2017, taking advantage of rule changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and a revamped international scouting department. They signed Valera, the No. 5 prospect in his signing class, to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Valera was added to the 40-man roster after the 2021 season. He spent most of 2022 at Double-A Akron before an August promotion to Triple-A Columbus, where he was one of the league's youngest everyday players.

Scouting Report: Valera has long stood out for his advanced setup at the plate, one that drew comparisons to Juan Soto as an amateur. He has quick hands and keeps the bat in the zone for a long time, traits that enable him to make a lot of hard contact. Despite that loose, easy swing, there is swing-and-miss to Valera's game, and he has struck out in about a quarter of his plate appearances in full-season ball. His patience and feel for the zone mean that he also consistently works walks. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games often. His 24 home runs ranked third among the organization's minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has mostly played right field as a professional.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for power bats for several years, and Valera could soon fill such a role in the middle of the order. He profiles as a traditional power-hitting corner outfielder. He'll return to Columbus to begin 2023 and could break through to the big leagues as a 22-year-old later in the season.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50
Track Record: Valera was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Cleveland chose to make a splash on the international market in 2017 and Valera was its top signing for $1.3 million. Valera was limited by injuries early in his career but finally played his first full season in 2021. He spent most of the year at High-A Lake County before receiving a late-August promotion to Double-A Akron and posted a .260/.405/.505 slash line in 86 games between the two levels, although he did miss nearly a month with a right oblique strain.

Scouting Report: Valera is a potentially premium hitter and is beginning to blossom. He has a loose, compact lefthanded swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His advanced feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of above-average hitting ability the Guardians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games—his 19 home runs tied for second-most among the organization’s minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has played all three outfield positions but is most experienced in right field. Valera’s main challenge has been staying healthy. His 86 games in 2021 were a career high.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for outfielders for several years and Valera could be one of the answers. He was added to the 40-man roster in November and has a chance to be in the majors for good by 2023.
Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Running: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash internationally in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class, for $1.3 million. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate bone limited him to six games in 2018, Valera spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley— where he was the youngest position player in the league— before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County. The Indians brought him to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hitting ability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: Valera has proved advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He has moved slower than anticipated between his injury and the canceled 2020 minor league season, but that could change in a hurry once 2021 begins.
TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash on the international market in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate limited him to six games in 2018, he spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley, where he was the youngest position player in the league, before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and discipline all help him to make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hittability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games well, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: As an amateur, Valera drew comparisons to Juan Soto. He's not going to match Soto's meteoric rise to stardom, but he's proven to be advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He'll likely return to Lake County to begin 2020 and another mid-season promotion could be in the cards.
Track Record: The Indians in 2017 took advantage of their recently revamped international scouting department and the rule changes in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement to make a splash on the international market. Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the 2017 international singing class, headlined the Indians' big haul, inking a deal worth $1.3 million. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. He made his professional debut in 2018 in the Rookie-level Arizona League as a 17-year-old, but he was limited to just six games before a broken hamate ended his season.

Scouting Report: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the hitting zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hitting ability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games well, though he has more of a hit-over-power profile. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

The Future: Valera as an amateur drew comparisons with the Nationals' Juan Soto, and while he's unlikely to mimic Soto's meteoric rise through the minor leagues, he is advanced enough that an assignment to low Class A Lake County is possible in 2019.
The Indians took advantage of their recently revamped international scouting department and the rule changes in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement to make a splash on the international market in 2017. Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class, was their top signing, inking a deal worth $1.3 million. Valera was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Valera was one of the best hitters in the international class and drew comparisons to Nationals prospect Juan Soto. Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and discipline all help him to make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hittability the Indians look for. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games well, though he has more of a hit-over-power profile. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. Valera will make his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 as he begins his path to reaching his considerable ceiling.

Minor League Top Prospects

After his first few years were marred by injuries, Valera used 2021 to show exactly what he can do when healthy. “He hasn’t moved quickly, but he’s moving at a pace I like,” one scout said. “One of the things I like about him is that he’s mentally matured. He’s putting in the effort to get better, and that’s all you can ask for.” Valera’s .910 OPS ranked eighth in the minors among players 20 or younger who batted at least 350 times. Scouts agree that Valera’s offensive and defensive skills will likely land him in left field, where he has the power to profile. “He really started to realize that he can positively affect games on the defensive side of the baseball, not just offensively,” an Indians player development member said. “Offensively, he knows that he can, but I’m not sure if he knew how solid he was as a defensive player, and that he really had the opportunity and will have opportunities to positively influence outcomes on the defensive side.”
Valera’s bat speed and feel to barrel the ball with consistency stand out. He ranked among NYPL leaders in home runs (eight) and showed advanced feel to hit as an 18-year old. He hit for more pop on the road, where he collected 10 of his 16 extra-base hits, while getting on base at a higher clip during home games (.389). Valera has a whip-like lefthanded swing and makes the most of his lower half. His profile is hit-over-power, and he tends to be pull-heavy for a younger player. His power should continue to develop, which should help him profile better in a corner, where his average arm and solid speed fit best. As he learns to use the whole field with more authority, Valera’s bat should become more impactful. He received a promotion to low Class A Lake County, where he will return to start the 2020 season.

Top 100 Rankings

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: The Guardians made a splash on the international market in 2017, taking advantage of rule changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and a revamped international scouting department. They signed Valera, the No. 5 prospect in his signing class, to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Valera was added to the 40-man roster after the 2021 season. He spent most of 2022 at Double-A Akron before an August promotion to Triple-A Columbus, where he was one of the league's youngest everyday players.

Scouting Report: Valera has long stood out for his advanced setup at the plate, one that drew comparisons to Juan Soto as an amateur. He has quick hands and keeps the bat in the zone for a long time, traits that enable him to make a lot of hard contact. Despite that loose, easy swing, there is swing-and-miss to Valera's game, and he has struck out in about a quarter of his plate appearances in full-season ball. His patience and feel for the zone mean that he also consistently works walks. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games often. His 24 home runs ranked third among the organization's minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has mostly played right field as a professional.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for power bats for several years, and Valera could soon fill such a role in the middle of the order. He profiles as a traditional power-hitting corner outfielder. He'll return to Columbus to begin 2023 and could break through to the big leagues as a 22-year-old later in the season.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: The Guardians made a splash on the international market in 2017, taking advantage of rule changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and a revamped international scouting department. They signed Valera, the No. 5 prospect in his signing class, to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Valera was added to the 40-man roster after the 2021 season. He spent most of 2022 at Double-A Akron before an August promotion to Triple-A Columbus, where he was one of the league's youngest everyday players.

Scouting Report: Valera has long stood out for his advanced setup at the plate, one that drew comparisons to Juan Soto as an amateur. He has quick hands and keeps the bat in the zone for a long time, traits that enable him to make a lot of hard contact. Despite that loose, easy swing, there is swing-and-miss to Valera's game, and he has struck out in about a quarter of his plate appearances in full-season ball. His patience and feel for the zone mean that he also consistently works walks. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games often. His 24 home runs ranked third among the organization's minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has mostly played right field as a professional.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for power bats for several years, and Valera could soon fill such a role in the middle of the order. He profiles as a traditional power-hitting corner outfielder. He'll return to Columbus to begin 2023 and could break through to the big leagues as a 22-year-old later in the season.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Valera was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Cleveland chose to make a splash on the international market in 2017 and Valera was its top signing for $1.3 million. Valera was limited by injuries early in his career but finally played his first full season in 2021. He spent most of the year at High-A Lake County before receiving a late-August promotion to Double-A Akron and posted a .260/.405/.505 slash line in 86 games between the two levels, although he did miss nearly a month with a right oblique strain.

Scouting Report: Valera is a potentially premium hitter and is beginning to blossom. He has a loose, compact lefthanded swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His advanced feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of above-average hitting ability the Guardians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games–his 19 home runs tied for second most among the organization&#39s minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has played all three outfield positions but is most experienced in right field. Valera&#39s main challenge has been staying healthy. His 86 games in 2021 were a career high.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for outfielders for several years and Valera could be one of the answers. He was added to the 40-man roster in November and has a chance to be in the majors for good by 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.
Track Record: Valera was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Cleveland chose to make a splash on the international market in 2017 and Valera was its top signing for $1.3 million. Valera was limited by injuries early in his career but finally played his first full season in 2021. He spent most of the year at High-A Lake County before receiving a late-August promotion to Double-A Akron and posted a .260/.405/.505 slash line in 86 games between the two levels, although he did miss nearly a month with a right oblique strain.

Scouting Report: Valera is a potentially premium hitter and is beginning to blossom. He has a loose, compact lefthanded swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His advanced feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of above-average hitting ability the Guardians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games—his 19 home runs tied for second-most among the organization’s minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has played all three outfield positions but is most experienced in right field. Valera’s main challenge has been staying healthy. His 86 games in 2021 were a career high.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for outfielders for several years and Valera could be one of the answers. He was added to the 40-man roster in November and has a chance to be in the majors for good by 2023.
After his first few years were marred by injuries, Valera used 2021 to show exactly what he can do when healthy. “He hasn’t moved quickly, but he’s moving at a pace I like,” one scout said. “One of the things I like about him is that he’s mentally matured. He’s putting in the effort to get better, and that’s all you can ask for.” Valera’s .910 OPS ranked eighth in the minors among players 20 or younger who batted at least 350 times. Scouts agree that Valera’s offensive and defensive skills will likely land him in left field, where he has the power to profile. “He really started to realize that he can positively affect games on the defensive side of the baseball, not just offensively,” an Indians player development member said. “Offensively, he knows that he can, but I’m not sure if he knew how solid he was as a defensive player, and that he really had the opportunity and will have opportunities to positively influence outcomes on the defensive side.”
Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Running: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash internationally in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class, for $1.3 million. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate bone limited him to six games in 2018, Valera spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley— where he was the youngest position player in the league— before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County. The Indians brought him to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hitting ability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: Valera has proved advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He has moved slower than anticipated between his injury and the canceled 2020 minor league season, but that could change in a hurry once 2021 begins.
Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Running: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash internationally in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class, for $1.3 million. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate bone limited him to six games in 2018, Valera spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley— where he was the youngest position player in the league— before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County. The Indians brought him to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hitting ability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: Valera has proved advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He has moved slower than anticipated between his injury and the canceled 2020 minor league season, but that could change in a hurry once 2021 begins.
Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Running: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash internationally in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class, for $1.3 million. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate bone limited him to six games in 2018, Valera spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley— where he was the youngest position player in the league— before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County. The Indians brought him to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and plate discipline all help him make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hitting ability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: Valera has proved advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He has moved slower than anticipated between his injury and the canceled 2020 minor league season, but that could change in a hurry once 2021 begins.
TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash on the international market in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate limited him to six games in 2018, he spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley, where he was the youngest position player in the league, before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and discipline all help him to make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hittability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games well, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: As an amateur, Valera drew comparisons to Juan Soto. He’s not going to match Soto’s meteoric rise to stardom, but he’s proven to be advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He’ll likely return to Lake County to begin 2020 and another mid-season promotion could be in the cards.
TRACK RECORD: The Indians made a splash on the international market in 2017 and signed Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. After a broken hamate limited him to six games in 2018, he spent most of 2019 with short-season Mahoning Valley, where he was the youngest position player in the league, before a late-season promotion to low Class A Lake County.

SCOUTING REPORT: Valera has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and discipline all help him to make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hittability the Indians covet. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games well, hitting eight home runs in 46 games as an 18-year-old in the New York-Penn League. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength.

THE FUTURE: As an amateur, Valera drew comparisons to Juan Soto. He's not going to match Soto's meteoric rise to stardom, but he's proven to be advanced enough to handle challenging assignments. He'll likely return to Lake County to begin 2020 and another mid-season promotion could be in the cards.
Valera’s bat speed and feel to barrel the ball with consistency stand out. He ranked among NYPL leaders in home runs (eight) and showed advanced feel to hit as an 18-year old. He hit for more pop on the road, where he collected 10 of his 16 extra-base hits, while getting on base at a higher clip during home games (.389). Valera has a whip-like lefthanded swing and makes the most of his lower half. His profile is hit-over-power, and he tends to be pull-heavy for a younger player. His power should continue to develop, which should help him profile better in a corner, where his average arm and solid speed fit best. As he learns to use the whole field with more authority, Valera’s bat should become more impactful. He received a promotion to low Class A Lake County, where he will return to start the 2020 season.
Track Record: The Indians took advantage of their recently revamped international scouting department and the rule changes in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement to make a splash on the international market in 2017. Valera, the fifth-ranked player in the class, was their top target, and he signed a deal worth $1.3 million. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Scouting Report: Valera was one of the best hitters in the international class and drew comparisons with Nationals outfield prospect Juan Soto. He has a loose, compact swing and keeps his bat in the hitting zone for a long time. His feel for the barrel, bat-to-ball skills, pitch recognition and discipline all help him to make consistent, hard contact and give him the kind of hitting ability the Indians look for. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games, though he has more of a hit-over-power profile. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. The Future: Valera will make his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 as he begins his path to reaching his considerable ceiling.