Chris Valaika
| Chris Valaika | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Valaika with the Cleveland Guardians in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cleveland Guardians – No. 45 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Infielder / Hitting coach | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: August 14, 1985 Santa Monica, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||||||||
| August 24, 2010, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||
| September 28, 2014, for the Chicago Cubs | |||||||||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .238 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||||||||
| As player:
As coach:
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Christopher Andrew Valaika (born August 14, 1985) is an American former professional baseball infielder and current coach who is the hitting coach for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs. He was formerly an assistant hitting coach for the Cubs.
Before professional baseball
Born to father Jeffrey Valaika and mother Ilona, Chris Valaika is the oldest son of 5 children. He is an American of Lithuanian descent. Valaika attended
.Professional baseball
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds drafted Valaika in the third round of the
Valaika started 2007 with the low A Dayton Dragons, where he had two 11-game hit streaks. He was Reds' Minor League player of the month for April. His play earned him the starting shortstop for the East Division in the Midwest League All-Star game, as well as a spot on the ML's postseason All-Star team. He was promoted to high-A Sarasota on July 4, where he batted .253 with two home runs and 23 RBI in 57 games.
Valaika spent 2008 with Sarasota and the Class AA
He played for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .311 with two doubles, a triple, seven home runs, and 16 RBI in 32 games.
On November 20, 2009, the Reds added Valaika to their 40-man roster to avoid the
Valaika made his Major League debut on August 24, 2010. In his first career at-bat, Valaika got his first Major League hit - a single off of Santiago Casilla - on the first pitch he saw.
Valaika was also called up for a brief stint with the Reds in 2011 to fill in for the injured Scott Rolen.[citation needed]
Miami Marlins
In 2013, Valaika was one of several
He became a free agent on October 1, 2013.[3]
Chicago Cubs
On November 17, 2013, Valaika agreed to a minor-league deal with an invitation to Spring Training with the Chicago Cubs. Valaika would add depth to third base along with minor-league invitee Mat Gamel.
On August 1, 2014, Valaika was called up to the Cubs in the wake of the team trading
Personal
Valaika's younger brother, Pat Valaika, played for the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles.[5]
References
- ^ "Reds make moves, fill out roster | reds.com: News". Cincinnati.reds.mlb.com. 2013-05-24. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
- ^ Spencer, Clark. "Miami Marlins roster move considered a rebuke of Chris Valaika - Miami Marlins". MiamiHerald.com. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
- ^ October 2013 minor league transactions
- ^ "Top MLB Prospects, Scouting Reports, Analysis".
- ^ "Pat Valaika Stats".
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)