Emmanuel Valdez thought this was going to happen seven years ago, but it took much longer than that for the highly touted prospect to play in the Boston Red Sox's farm system.
Valdez, who the Red Sox acquired Monday along with another prospect in the deal for Christian Vázquez, nearly signed with Boston as a 16-year-old in 2015 out of the Dominican Republic. However, the Houston Astros swooped in to ink him to a contract first, according to The Boston Globe's Alex Speier.
Valdez ended up making his organizational debut with Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, and it certainly was a thrilling feeling for the 23-year-old to slip on the jersey he thought he would always wear.
"It was my favorite organization growing up as a kid in the Dominican, and the Red Sox were actually going to sign me prior to my signing with the Astros," Valdez said through WooSox bench coach Jose Flores, per Speier. "I'm happy that I'm here now, playing for the Red Sox."
Getting traded is never an easy situation, but Valdez seemed grateful that the Red Sox wanted him in the trade for their longtime catcher.
"It's a different feeling when you put the Red Sox jersey on because of all the history of the organization," Valdez said, according to Speier. "I understand the business part of it, but at the same time, I'm very appreciative that the Red Sox actually inquired about me. That says that there's interest."
Valdez made a great first impression with the WooSox, with the left-handed hitting second baseman belting a solo home run to the opposite field. Valdez finished 1-for-4 in the contest, but provided Worcester's only run.
The No. 28 prospect in the Red Sox system, according to MLB Pipeline, has showcased his potential in the minor leagues this season. In 44 games with Astros' Double-A Corpus Christi, Valdez batted .357 with 11 homers in 44 games. Once promoted to Triple-A Sugar Land, he clubbed .296 with 10 homers in 38 contests.
The power stroke seems to be the 5-foot-9, 191-pound infielder, as he is setting lofty goals by trying to replicate some of the best players in Red Sox history.
"Being from the Dominican, seeing Manny Ramirez play, Big Papi, and Hanley Ramirez, I looked up to those guys, all the success they had," Valdez said, per Speier. "Hopefully I can copy that."
