Merkin Valdez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #24 prospect in 2008
  There was a time the Giants envisioned a rotation anchored by Valdez (acquired from the Braves in a December 2002 trade for Russ Ortiz) as the ace with Matt Cain as a solid No. 2 starter. When those plans didn't quite materialize, San Francisco watched Valdez blow his 99-mph fastball past hitters in spring training and thought he'd become a lethal force in the late innings. But he couldn't keep his fastball down in the zone, had trouble developing an offspeed pitch and was dispatched to the bullpen early in a disastrous 2006 season. He might have been hurt all year, as his season ended when he grabbed his arm in the third inning of a late-August start. On the day he was injured, club officials said Valdez was throwing with the best combination of command and velocity that they had seen in two years. He had Tommy John surgery, missed all of the 2007 season and returned to the mound in short stints for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League. It speaks to Valdez' talent that he remains one of the most prized arms in the system. His health will determine where he starts 2008, though he's out of options and San Francisco will have to sneak him through waivers if he doesn't make the 25-man roster.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #18 prospect in 2007
  The Giants have been excited about Valdez' arm ever since he arrived in the December 2002 trade that sent Russ Ortiz to the Braves, but a lack of consistency has kept him from breaking through. Valdez appeared to be on the doorstep in spring training, when he blew away hitters with a 99-mph fastball and super-tight slider, but the former top prospect was dropped from the closer role to middle relief in Triple-A and had trouble repeating his delivery or throwing strikes. When it became clear Valdez wasn't ready to help the Giants in the bullpen, he was moved to the rotation in August in the hopes he could iron out his issues by working in three- and four-inning stints. The plan appeared to be working, but Valdez grabbed his arm in the third inning of a start Aug. 27 and had Tommy John surgery a month later. On the day he was injured, Giants officials said Valdez was throwing with the best combination of command and velocity that they had seen in two years. He won't be able to get back on the mound until winter ball at the earliest.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #5 prospect in 2006
  Since being acquired from the Braves in the Russ Ortiz trade prior to 2003, Valdez has tantalized the Giants with his power arm. After earning a brief promotion to the San Francisco bullpen in 2004, he spent most of 2005 as a starter before an elbow strain ended his season in August. At his best, Valdez can be a front-of-the-rotation starter. His fastball can sit in the mid-90s, and if he's throwing strikes with it, he doesn't need much else. His changeup has become his best secondary offering. With a delivery that often gets out of sync, Valdez lacks the body control to throw strikes consistently. His elbow drops when he throws his curveball and slider, neither of which is a dependably average pitch. His mechanics also put too much strain on his elbow, though the injury didn't require surgery. The Giants, often quick to put power arms in the bullpen, have decided to wait and see if Valdez can be an impact starter. Valdez worked on his mechanics in instructional league and was pitching in the Dominican Winter League. He'll start 2006 in the minors but could join the big league rotation later in the year if healthy.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #2 prospect in 2005
  He hadn't pitched above Rookie ball when the Giants got him from the Braves in the Russ Ortiz trade in December 2002, but Valdez quickly burst onto the prospect scene with a dominant 2003 season at low Class A Hagerstown. He never found a consistent rhythm in 2004, because he came down with shoulder tendinitis and shuttled between four teams. Valdez has two pitches that can make hitters look bad. His fastball sits in the mid-90s when he starts and touches 99 mph when he relieves. His mid-80s power slider, which touches 87 mph, has excellent bite when he stays on top of it. His compact delivery helps him harness his power. His feel for pitching improved in 2004, as he learned when to take a little off his fastball and how to move it to different quadrants of the strike zone. Because he sometimes wraps his hand around his slider and gets under it, Valdez can lose the feel for his second pitch. He doesn't trust his developing changeup, which he'll need to remain a starter. The Giants have yet to decide if Valdez, who has closer's stuff, is better suited for relief. That's their more immediate need, and he worked in that role in winter ball. He could win a big league job this spring as a set-up man for Armando Benitez.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #1 prospect in 2004
  Though the Giants had developed Russ Ortiz from college middle reliever to big league frontline starter, they weren't afraid to deal him when he became too expensive. So they sent Ortiz to the Braves for lefthander Damian Moss and Valdez in December 2002. Valdez was known as Manuel Mateo and believed to be nine months younger than his true age when he signed for $7,500 in 1999. While he has a ways to go to match Ortiz as a big league 20-game winner, the trade worked out for the Giants. San Francisco used Moss to get Sidney Ponson from the Orioles for the 2003 stretch run, while Valdez established himself as the Giants' clear No. 1 prospect with a dominating year at Class A Hagerstown. He won the strikeout crown in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2002, then repeated the feat in the South Atlantic League in his Giants debut. Valdez has the rare ability to invite consistent weak contact with his fastball. With his combination of velocity and command, the Giants say he compares favorably to last year's No. 1 prospect, Jesse Foppert. Valdez throws a two-seam heater that the Giants rate a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale due to its excellent sink and consistent velocity. When he worked as a starter for Hagerstown, his fastball sat in the 92-95 mph range. In a late assignment to the Arizona Fall League, he ran it to 96-98 in short relief stints. He's not afraid to work inside and attacks lefthanders successfully. The Giants rate his slider as a 60 pitch, though it tends to be less consistent than his fastball. Valdez generally does a good job of staying tall, throwing downhill and keeping on top of his slider. His changeup remains in its developing stages, but the Giants were encouraged by the flashes he showed in instructional league, when he threw it for strikes. This was just Valdez' first full season, so he could use more innings of experience to refine his overall game, particularly his changeup and slider. He can be guilty of rushing his delivery and overthrowing. He missed a start in the spring when he was trying so hard to ramp up his velocity that he pulled his groin. He sometimes alters his delivery for his offspeed stuff, hurting his consistency. All of these are correctable flaws, however. Added to the 40-man roster, Valdez will compete for a big league bullpen job in spring training, following Foppert's example. While Foppert was a college draftee, he wasn't a full-time pitcher until his junior season at the University of San Francisco, and Valdez' experience level is similar. If he's allowed to develop more in the minor leagues--likely at high Class A San Jose to start until the weather warms up at Double-A Norwich--Valdez still could jump to the majors sometime in 2004. With more refinement, Valdez profiles as a front-of-the-rotation starter.
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  Ranked San Francisco Giants #15 prospect in 2003
  When the Giants decided to trim a little salary by trading Russ Ortiz to the Braves for Damian Moss in December, they also picked up Valdez, previously known as Melvin Mateo. In 2002, his first season in the United States, he led the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in strikeouts and was rated as the league's top pitching prospect. For a youngster--though he's nine months older than previously believed--he has impressive maturity and desire. His stuff is noteworthy as well. Valdez gets ahead in the count with his lively 93-95 mph fastball. He shows a good feel for his slider and changeup but remains inconsistent with both, forcing him to rely too much on his fastball. His slider has good depth when thrown properly, and his changeup has a decent fade even though it remains in the developmental phase. Valdez, who has front-of-the-rotation potential, is expected to pitch in low Class A this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Eastern League #15 prospect in 2005
  The Giants assigned three of their most promising pitchers--Valdez, David Aardsma and Alfredo Simon--to Norwich out of spring training, but none finished the year in position to help the big league club. Aardsma was traded to the Cubs, Simon struggled and Valdez was inconsistent. He was shuffled from the starting rotation to the bullpen in an effort to conserve his arm, but ultimately broke down and was unable to complete the season. When healthy, Valdez featured a heavy 91-96 mph fastball with boring action. He improved his changeup and continued to hone his slider, though he struggled with command of all of his pitches and too often left them high in the strike zone. He pitches from a three-quarters arm slot but has a tendency to drop his arm and get around his slider.
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #8 prospect in 2003
  Valdez came to the Giants (as Manuel Mateo) in last December's Damian Moss-Russ Ortiz swap. While Moss was later dealt to the Orioles, Valdez was a key acquisition for San Francisco. Along with his new name the Giants found out he's 10 months older than previously believed, but that hasn't affected his prospect status. The league strikeout leader touches 98 mph and consistently showed 89-95 mph fastballs. "El Mago" was a strike-throwing machine who issued just three walks in his first 33 innings. A nagging groin injury contributed to his mechanics getting out of sync and his walk totals increasing. Valdez needs to avoid overthrowing and rushing his delivery, but has a good feel for his curveball and changeup. "He has a very live arm and a curveball with good bite and changeup that are not plus right now, but when he gets it going he's going to be amazing," Lake County manager Luis Rivera said. "It's not a fluid delivery, but the ball is on top of you. Hitters are not getting good swings."
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #3 prospect in 2002
  Strong, athletic and possessing a competitive fire on the mound, Valdez stood out among players in the GCL's Eastern Division. His fastball routinely registered 93-95 mph and he threw it consistently for strikes. "He's already got an above-average major league fastball with movement," Expos manager Andy Skeels said, "but he's also got a great approach to pitching. He wants the ball. He really competes." Valdez's secondary pitches are inconsistent. His slider shows good depth at times and his changeup still is developing.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #58 prospect in 2005
• Ranked Baseball America's #40 prospect in 2004

• December, 2001 Scouting Report
  Strong, athletic and possessing a competitive fire on the mound, Valdez stood out among players in the GCL's Eastern Division. His fastball routinely registered 93-95 mph and he threw it consistently for strikes. "He's already got an above-average major league fastball with movement," Expos manager Andy Skeels said, "but he's also got a great approach to pitching. He wants the ball. He really competes." Valdez's secondary pitches are inconsistent. His slider shows good depth at times and his changeup still is developing.