Danny Valencia: The Minnesota Twins' Best Situational Hitter

Danny Valencia is the Twins’ best situational hitter.

“He’s come up with some big hits,” said manager Ron Gardenhire after Valencia hit a bases-loaded walk-off blooper to beat the Indians on July 19—perhaps the 26-year-old’s most clutch hit this season.

“He’s one of those guys in those spots where we’re going to need him to drive in runs.”

Valencia, who typically bats behind Minnesota’s power hitters like Joe Mauer, Jim Thome and Michael Cuddyer in the lineup, has delivered under pressure. He’s batting .500 in extra innings, .444 with runners at second and third and .538 with the bases loaded.

His on-base slugging percentage is above 1.000 in all three categories.

“I like being in those positions,” says Valencia. “I’m thinking I can run with it and come through.”

Valencia looks like a bona fide superstar right now, but before he was named to the Baseball America All-Rookie, Topps Rookie All-Star Teams last year, he was a non-descript shortstop out of Spanish River High School (Boca Raton, Florida) looking to get recognized.

“He didn’t have a lot of options,” his mother, Mindy, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 2005.

Despite being named to the First Team, All-Palm Beach County three times, Second Team All-State twice and the 2002 South Florida Sun-Sentinel All-County player in 2002, he did not generate enough interest from the University of Miami, his desired destination.

“He was recruited hard early on,” continued his mother. “He was All-State for two years, but he wasn’t everyone’s first choice.”

Valencia accepted a scholarship from the University of Carolina-Greensboro—a school in the Southern Conference, which is typically regarded as a tier below the ACC and SEC in the south. At Greensboro, he played third base and batted .338 with a .527 slugging percentage and eight home runs. As a result, he was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year.

“I did really well,” he said, “[but] I felt that wasn’t the place to get the most exposure for me.”

With his freshman accolades in his pocket, he spoke to contacts in South Florida, hoping to get a roster spot at the University of Miami.

“[I] spoke to the head coach I played for in [summer ball] after my senior year of high school,” said Valencia of his coach in Anchorage, Alaska. “He said, ‘Look, UM definitely wants you,’ so I transferred over there and…set myself up in a position to be drafted.”

It was a dramatic change for Valencia. He was playing in Alex Rodriguez Park with Milwaukee left fielder Ryan Braun and rooming with Cleveland closer Chris Perez.

“It’s night and day,” he told The Roanoke Times in 2005. “It’s awesome. It’s what every Florida kid dreams of. It’s the program—the winning, the uniforms. Everything from the strength coach to the facilities is completely different.”

Valencia spent two years at "The U," before being drafted in the 19th round, 576th overall, of the 2006 draft by the Minnesota Twins.

“No question that being selected in the 19th round was a big disappointment,” he told Scout.com in 2008. “My goal was always to get to the big leagues. You look at a guy like Rob Delaney, who wasn’t even drafted, and you realize that it doesn’t matter where you start, but where you finish.”

Many players describe the minor leagues as dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest.

“It’s all about what you do once you’re there,” said Geoff Klein (Cardinals 15th-round pick in 2010), a player I interviewed at Santa Clara before he was drafted. “You could be the biggest, highest rated prospect and be God’s gift to baseball and wash out in three years.”

“The only difference between a higher pick and a lower-round draft pick is that they’re going to pay you a little more money,” said Tommy Medica, Klein’s teammate at Santa Clara and the Padres’ 14th round pick in 2010. “If they’re going to invest a little more money and you’re not getting it done for the first couple years, they might keep you around for a third year.”

“[You] have to grind, you have to perform,” said Valencia. “When you’re a late-round pick and you don’t perform, it’s easy for them to say ‘He can’t play here,’ and they get rid of you.

“It’s a shame to say because I’ve seen a lot of get drafted late and they don’t get the same opportunity some players get that are drafted higher. I think it’s wrong, but that’s just the nature of the business.

“As a late-round pick, you have to go battle.”

Valencia says he has seen “tons of guys” that were very talented, but were drafted late and do not get the same opportunity as other players, are overlooked and out of the game in a couple of years.

“They don’t get treated as well,” he said.

“[It’s] a shame, but, once again, it’s a business and that’s the opportunity you get to live your dream.”

Valencia was placed low on the depth charts in Rookie and Single-A ball after being a late pick.

“I was playing behind two third basemen—one went in the third round, one in the fourth,” he said. “Played behind them my first year and second year and ended up passing them up.

“It’s in the rear view now. I guess what didn’t kill me then made me stronger.”

On July 19th Valencia hit a walk-off single on a delivery from Indians closer, and former roommate, Chris Perez.

“It was his best sinker,” he said after the game. “Write that one in there. It was the best pitch he said he’s ever thrown and he got beat.”

The hit was fitting for Valencia. He knows how to perform when his back is against the wall.

That’s how he got to the major leagues.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand or from official interview materials from the Minnesota Twins.

Follow him on Twitter @tschreier3.