Valdez Makes Transition As LE Storm Enters Playoffs

Making the transition from second base to shortstop is not necessarily easy.

The distance is several feet farther away, you are the captain of the infield at shortstop and more balls are often hit to you. Plus the backhand play toward third and the corresponding throw to first base is much tougher.

Jeudy Valdez is making that transition and so far the San Diego Padres and Lake Elsinore Storm are happy with the results.

“I’m happy with my defense,” Valdez said. “I feel comfortable with playing shortstop. I was more comfortable with second base, but I feel it took me three months to make the adjustment. I feel I can play both positions.”

Valdez was an undrafted free agent as a 17-year-old from Bani, Dominican Republic, which has been a recent gold mine of Major League ballplayers, like San Francisco Giants' Miguel Tejada or Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero, whom Valdez said he’s practiced with.

The 22-year-old played second base in the Padres’ organization, including with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, but switched to shortstop with Lake Elsinore. He had played just 76 games over four seasons at stops in Arizona, Eugune, Ore., and Fort Wayne.

The right-handed throwing, right-handed hitting shortstop has helped Lake Elsinore secure a playoff spot this season. The Storm opens the California League Playoffs today in the wild-card round at the Inland Empire 66ers.

Gary Jones, a roving infield coordinator with the San Diego Padres, has seen Valdez grow and develop. This season, his fielding percentage has had a pretty stellar .943 fielding percentage after 104 games. He’s made a team-high 26 errors, but has also turned 43 double plays, made 288 assists, and has had 139 putouts.

“He had such a good athletic direction,” Jones said. “He had the tools to be there ... ever since we put him at shortstop, he’s gotten comfortable. He had a rough stretch in the beginning, and it caused him to suffer offensively. At Fort Wayne in 2009, he was out most of the year for injuries. The next year he had a solid year. Hopefully in two to three years, he’ll be knocking at the door (of the Major Leagues).”

Valdez has normally hit in 2-4 spot in the batting order. Storm interim manager Phil Plantier has seen great tools in the young Dominican.

“I’ve seen a guy who’s improved in every game,” Plantier said. “He has a ‘plus’ arm. He’s athletic, and has delivered with consistency. Our pitching has had a great second half. A big part of that is because we have middle infielders who have had a great role on our team.”

Valdez has been a clutch hitter at the plate several times, having come within one hit away from the cycle – twice. In the 2011 regular season, he hit .295 with 15 homers and 92 runs batted in, with 34 steals, tied for sixth in the California League. He does need to improve a bit hitting against right-handers – he’s a .256 hitter against them, as opposed to a terrorizing .385 hitter versus left-handers.

“I just try to steal the bases, all the time,” Valdez said. “I try to read the move (of the pitchers), try to steal a lot of bases. I see where the pitcher’s going with the ball. With lefties, I try to hit it more up the middle. Against righties, I try to pull it more.”

Plantier doesn’t always have to let Valdez know when to run even better, although he has been caught 11 times.

“He has good instincts on the basepaths,” Plantier said. “He understands when to run. He picks his spots well. The first month was hard on him (Valdez hit .217 in April). But he’s hit at a .300 clip after April … I’m extremely satisfied with his plate discipline and his pitch selection.”