Efraín Valdez
Efraín Antonio Valdez is a former professional baseball pitcher. Valdez played Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians in and and the Arizona Diamondbacks in. He also played for the Korea Baseball Organization with the LG Twins in.
Professional career
Efraín Valdez's playing career lasted twenty years and during that time Valdez played with a number of different clubs in five countries: The United States, The Dominican Republic, Mexico, Taiwan and South Korea.Padres organization
Valdez began his professional playing career on May 4, 1983, when he was signed by the San Diego Padres as an amateur free agent. Valdez was assigned to the short season class "A" Northwest League's Spokane Indians. After playing two seasons, 1983 and 1984, with Spokane, Valdez was purchased from the Padres by the Texas Rangers on December 10, 1984.Rangers organization
Although he did not play in the minor leagues in 1985, Valdez began playing professionally outside the United States, playing a season in the Dominican Summer League. He began the 1986 baseball season in the Mexican League but returned to the Rangers organization, where he was assigned to the class double "A" Texas League's Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League. In 1987, Valdez was sent down to class "A" and spent time with the Florida State League's Charlotte Rangers before returning to the Drillers. After another season with Tulsa in 1988, Valdez was drafted from the Rangers by the Cleveland Indians in the 1988 rule 5 draft on December 5, 1988.Indians organization
The Indians assigned Valdez to the Canton–Akron Indians of the class double-A Eastern League, where Valdez would play during the 1989 season.The 1990 season was a year filled with highlights for Valdez. He started the season at triple-A with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League, then made his major league debut on August 13, 1990, for the Indians. On September 21, Valdez earned his only major league win against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Valdez once again saw playing time with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and the Cleveland Indians during the 1991 season. But Valdez was placed on waivers by the Cleveland Indians and later selected off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on July 3, 1991.