SoCal ProCase Spotlight: SS/RHP Johnnie Valdez Jr.

FULLERTON, CA. - For Johnnie Valdez Jr., a rising senior at Don Lugo HS and a UCSB commit, the SoCal ProCase was an opportunity for him to show his wares in front of a packed house of scouts and his peers. Don’t get the impression that scouts were unaware of Valdez Jr. prior to the ProCase, but it’s also not a stretch to say a good deal of scouts in attendance were getting their first look at the right handed pitcher/infielder.

With 67 representatives from 22 MLB Organizations in attendance, including numerous crosscheckers and some scouting directors, Johnnie Valdez Jr. certainly made the most of his opportunity

After seeing Valdez Jr. carve up opponents last summer at the PBR Tournament State Games, he immediately became a high follow for me. After seeing him compete and handle himself well a couple more times last summer against very good competition, it became pretty evident that Valder Jr. was the type of player we wanted at the ProCase. And while he may not be at the top of draft lists, this skill set and abilities both on the mound and on the dirt will at least draw the attention of pro scouts in the next year.

Valdez Jr. really flexed his muscle on the mound where his combination of a low spin, rising fastball and his potential plus changeup kept hitters guessing and off balance during his outing. Valdez Jr. works fast and mixes pitches well - he also threw a slider several times that he spotted for strikes. It’s a true two-pitch mix that could feature a third pitch in due time with the progression of the slider. He’s consistent with the arm slot on all his pitches while his arm is quick with some whippiness to it.

He threw a high percentage of strikes during his outing relying on his ability to locate and command his pitches versus trying to overmatch hitters. His arsenal and approach will bode very well should he end up on the mound on the next level.