August 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nBeyond the big man\u2019s loud bat, Valencia is a beloved teammate, someone who crossed paths with nearly everyone in the organization throughout his uneven climb to the major leagues. He played with Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter in the low minors. He played with Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played with him last year in Double A, and his journey, even from then, is insane to see,\u201d right-hander Troy Melton said recently. \u201cObviously, what he\u2019s doing right now is pretty special. He\u2019s such a good dude.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valencia was first signed as an 18-year-old Venezuelan in 2018, for a mere $10,000. One of his first friends in the organization was Keider Montero, the bulldog right-hander who threw 6 1\/3 shutout innings in Thursday\u2019s win. Valencia and Montero played together in the Dominican Summer League. In the first game they played stateside in the Gulf Coast League, Montero pitched, and Valencia was behind the plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what he\u2019s gone through his whole career,\u201d Montero said. \u201cI know how hard it is. And I\u2019m proud of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valencia started at DH and was not behind the plate Thursday, but before the game, he hugged his old friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to be good today,\u201d Valencia told him.<\/p>\n
Valencia is the type of personality who injects life and personality wherever he goes, but that does not mean he\u2019s forgotten his own moments of worry. He spent his first few years in the Tigers\u2019 system as an unknown player in the low rungs of the minors. The COVID season cost him a year of development. He had Tommy John surgery and missed parts of 2023 and 2024. There were hamstring injuries and a surgery on his hand. He spent five years in the U.S. and only played one game above High A.<\/p>\n
At times, Valencia thought his career was nearing an end.<\/p>\n
A few people in the Tigers\u2019 player-development pipeline, however, saw something in the strong kid with the aggressive swing. That \u201csomething\u201d emerged last season when Valencia blasted 24 home runs across Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.<\/p>\n
Defense was always a bigger question, and in some ways still is. Valencia played first base and catcher, and not always to rave reviews. Still, he slowly took instruction and smoothed out some of the rough edges in his performance behind the plate. His ability to control the running game still needs work. He might never be a plus blocker behind the dish, but pitchers seem to admire his preparation and trust his gamecalling. Already in the major leagues, Valencia has caught two shutouts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always said I believe before I doubt,\u201d manager A.J. Hinch said. \u201cWhen he got here, I believed he was going to be part of this team and part of helping the pitching staff, but I think every player needs to feel it. \u2026 He\u2019s obviously had an incredible first handful of games. That builds that confidence to where I have zero issue with him, but more importantly, he has zero concerns himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valencia made his MLB debut July 9 and clubbed a pair of home runs. His tear-soaked postgame interview was the stuff of legend.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s one guy in the world who deserves that, it\u2019s that guy,\u201d Carpenter had told reporters that evening.<\/p>\n
Valencia was sent down July 20 but recalled on the 27th, and he has continued hitting ever since. He is an emotional human who forms a heart with his hands and points to his wife in the stands after home runs. Still, the longer he has been with the Tigers, the more Hinch has admired Valencia\u2019s capacity to stay calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Triple-A staff raved about him and his presence and the methodical nature of how he goes about his business,\u201d Hinch said. \u201cIt\u2019s just been the same here. We haven\u2019t seen him wowed. He hasn\u2019t been overwhelmed. \u2026 I think some of that transition has to be credited to the build-up. A lot of it also has to be credited to the preparation and his personality and his ability to just play baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Here we are in August, and Valencia is proving his storybook debut was no fluke. He\u2019s part of a team that has clawed its way back to the playoff hunt. After striving so hard to reach this point, he\u2019s trying to embrace every moment in the show.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big leagues are really fun,\u201d Valencia said. \u201cAll the guys here are really fun. I like to win. I like to help the team, so that\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to do right now \u2014 win and show that we are here.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Valencia, it\u2019s all finally starting to feel normal. But in an interview Thursday, he recounted advice from veteran teammate Javier B\u00e1ez.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis game moves really fast,\u201d he said. \u201cYou need to take advantage of everything. You need to have fun every single game.\u201d<\/p>\n