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Atlanta Braves Top 100 Prospects: #44 Luis Valenzuela

By Benjamin Chase

Feb 29, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb (not picture) shoes and glove rest on the ground during spring training workouts at ESPN
Feb 29, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb (not picture) shoes and glove rest on the ground during spring training workouts at ESPN /
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Atlanta Braves Infielder Luis Valenzuela

Who Is He?

Luis Valenzuela was a late sign at age 18 by the Boston Red Sox in May of 2012 before being released after hitting .133/.235/.267 in 34 plate appearances for the Red Sox DSL team. He was then suspended 50 games for PED use while he was a free agent.

The Royals took the gamble on Valenuela, and signed him, but after the suspension, he only got 5 games in for the Royals Arizona Rookie League team. In those games, he hit .130/.200/.130.

In 2014, he finally got some time on the field, playing in 57 games for the advanced-rookie team for the Pioneer League team in Idaho Falls. He hit .259/.306/.370 with 5 triples and 5 steals with a 14/45 BB/K ratio.

Next: Valenzuela's scouting report

The Royals didn’t start Valenzuela until after extended spring again in 2015, when he started at the same Idaho Falls team and hit .486 in 8 games before being promoted to Kansas City’s low-A team in Lexington, where he was hitting .333 before the Royals traded him to the Braves when they acquired Jonny Gomes on August 31st. Valenzuela hit .429 with Rome in the Braves system in his short time in the system, catching a lot of eyes. Overall, he hit .365/.387/.506 in 2015 with 5 home runs and 9 steals with a 9/33 BB/K ratio.

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