Scouting Report: Valdez is largely a two-pitch lefthander. His plus curveball is good enough to allow him to succeed despite a lack of confidence in his below-average changeup. Valdez attacks hitters with two- and four-seam fastballs at 92-95 mph. His two-seamer has good sink down in the zone, but his above-average fastballs are mainly setting up his 78-82 mph curveball. Valdez's curve has plenty of depth, and he can sweep it across the strike zone thanks to his three-quarter arm slot. He can tighten it or loosen it and throw it in or out of the zone. Valdez nibbled against big league righthanders and will need to either improve his changeup or develop a cutter. His delivery is relatively clean and his control is average.
The Future: Valdez's solid work as a starter late in the 2018 season gives him the opportunity to battle for a job in the 2019 rotation.
