Yunior Valiente

Yunior Valiente Luis

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 161 lb.

• Born 1993

BR register page

Biographical Information

Yunior Valiente has played in Cuba and Russia and for the Russian national team.

Valiente debuted for the Vegueros de Pinar del Río in the 2011-2012, going 1 for 7 with two runs and backing up David Castillo at 2B. He had his longest look in 2012-2013, batting .254/.295/.312 in 63 games. In 2013-2014, he was 2 for 17. He was 1 for 4 with a walk in 2014-2015. He hit .235/.274/.283 in 87 games over four seasons in Cuba.

Going to the Russian League, he hit .440 in 2019. He joined six other Cubans in getting Russian citizenship to play for the Russian national team. In the 2019 B-Level European Championship, he hit .240/.296/.520 with two homers in five games, tying 12 others for 2nd in dingers (four behind former Cuban teammate Castillo). He was 0 for 4 with a HBP and a run in the finale, a loss to Israel.

In the 2021 European Championship Qualifier, he hit .467/.500/1.133 with 3 homers and 10 RBI in 4 games, with 4-RBI games against Slovenia and Switzerland. He had six chances error-free. He tied teammates Yan Pérez and Alexander Bolgov for 2nd in home runs (3 behind another teammate, Geidys Soler), was 4th in RBI, was 2nd in total bases (17, 12 behind Soler) and was 3rd in slugging (after Soler and Dimitar Nassapov). He was named the event MVP. Russia won to make it to the 2021 European Championship.

At the 2021 Euros, he went 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 3 RBI in a win over Ukraine and had a 3-run game versus Austria. He finished at .318/.423/.409 with six runs and five RBI in six games, handling 21 chances error-free. He tied Soler for 2nd on Russia in runs.