George Valera Turned 50 Pesos Into A Professional Baseball Career

This 2700 word feature article was originally published for the now defunct Official Guardians Baseball Insider during my coverage of the High-A Lake County Captains for the 2021 MiLB season

Introduction

The Cleveland Guardians had one of the most unproductive outfields in all of baseball during the 2010s, ranking 25th in fWAR, 26th in wRC+, 27th in OPS, 28th in runs scored, and 29th in home runs in comparison to collective outfields fielded by the other 29 teams during the 2010s.

The centerpiece of Cleveland’s lauded 2017 international free agent class, George Valera’s presence at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario has been seen as one of the potential answers for the three black holes that have been Cleveland’s outfield spots.

The 20-year-old outfielder is in line for a unique opportunity by potentially being one of the first prospects in Cleveland’s farm system to debut as a Guardian based on the current trajectory of his ascent through the minors.

Where it began

It all started in The Bronx, New York, where Valera grew up with his father Jorge, mother Delubina, along with an older brother and sister for the first 13 years of his life. The tight-knit household nurtured his love and advanced feel for the game. His entire family…