Carlos Valencia

Carlos Alberto Valencia Coronel

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 200 lb.

• Born October 20, 1979 in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora Mexico

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Carlos Valencia has been one of Mexico's top infielders in the first decade of the 21st Century.

Valencia debuted in the Mexican League in 2000 with the Nuevo Laredo Owls, going 2 for 5. In 2001, he batted .272/~.289/.386 for Nuevo Laredo. He hit .302/~.327/.443 in 2002, then .227/~.274/.376 in 2003.

In 2004, Carlos moved to the Tijuana Toros and batted .324/.363/.503 with 73 runs in 96 games. He kept it up in 2005, when he hit .288/.321/.538. That year, he belted 32 home runs, scored 98 runs and drove in 88 runners. He set a new Mexican League record for homers by a second baseman, breaking the 40-year-old mark held by Moisés Camacho. He led the Liga with 10 sacrifice flies and was 3 homers behind leader Roberto Saucedo. Surprisingly, he was not named the All-Star second baseman in the league; that honor went to Carlos Alberto Gastelum.

Valencia joined the Mexico City Red Devils in 2006 and hit .325/.344/.501 with 31 doubles in 87 games. In the 2006 COPABE Olympic Qualifiers, he batted .263/.300/.632 with 4 home runs, 7 runs and 9 RBI in 9 games as Mexico's starting second baseman. He helped his team win a spot in the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament. Carlos tied Yulieski Gourriel, Jorge Vázquez, Mark Reynolds, Alexander Mayeta and Jose Aponte for the tourney lead in homers.

In 2007, Valencia hit .302/.340/.467 with 32 doubles. During the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, Carlos batted .259/.286/.556 for Mexico and turned five double plays in 7 games while making no errors at second. His two home runs tied Seung-yeop Lee, Karim Garcia, Kuo-Hui Lo and Matt Rogelstad for second in the event, one behind leader Nick Weglarz, but Mexico lost out on a spot in the 2008 Olympics.

During the 2008 Caribbean Series, Valencia played for the Yaquis de Obregón, hitting .227/.227/.364. His big hit of the Series was a run-scoring triple off Carlos Marmol as the Yaquis rallied for a win over the Tigres del Licey, who won the Series.

Carlos batted .289/.326/.567 with 24 home runs for the 2008 Red Devils. He finished third in the Liga in homers behind Kit Pellow and Ruben Rivera. He capped his busy year by hitting .320/.414/.720 in the 2008 Americas Baseball Cup, with 3 home runs, 5 runs and 6 RBI in 8 games to help Mexico win a spot in the 2009 Baseball World Cup. He was among the tourney leaders in slugging (6th), RBI (tied for 9th) and home runs (tying Carlos Rivera and Agustín Murillo for second, one behind leader Ardley Jansen). He was left off the All-Star team for the Cup as Ofilio Castro got the nod at second base.

In 2009, Valencia produced at a .318/.362/.525 rate with 17 home runs. He then joined Mexico for the 2009 Baseball World Cup.

Sources

• Diablos.com
• MILB.com
• The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statistics by Pedro Treto Cisneros
• IBAF
• 2008 Americas Baseball Cup Final Report