Pat Valaika

Pat Valaika is a professional baseball player from the United States of America. He plays in Major League Baseball. As of the 2021 season, he plays for the Baltimore Orioles. He has also played for the Colorado Rockies. He holds the position of an infielder. As of 2022, he is a free agent.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Valaika was born Patrick Ryan Valaika on September 9, 1992, in Valencia, California. He stands 183 cm and his last listed weight is 90 kilograms. He holds the position of an infielder. He is a right-handed player and he bats and throws with his right hand.

Valaika has three brothers who have played baseball professionally.

Career

Valaika attended William S Hart High School where he played baseball. Afterward, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles and he played college baseball for the Bruins. In summer, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Chatham Anglers.

In 2013, he was drafted into the MLB by the Colorado Rockies during the ninth round. He made his debut as a professional baseball player in July of that year. Minor league teams he has played for include the Tri-City Dust Devils, the Asheville Tourists, Modesto Nuts, and the New Britain Rock Cats. He was later promoted to play with the Albuquerque Isotopes.

In September 2016, he was called to play in the majors to play for the Rockies in a game against the San Francisco Giants. He made his first start a few weeks later in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In October 2019, he was claimed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. In January 2020, he was listed as Designated for Assignment. A few days later, he was claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks on waivers. Before the month ended, he was claimed again by the Orioles.

While with the Orioles, he played for the Norfolk Tides. In October 2021, he became a free agent when he was outrighted off the Oriole’s 40-man roster.