Valentin Linarez
Valentin Linarez
Position: RHP
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 226 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 02/14/2000
Country: Dominican Republic
How Acquired: International Free Agent, 2018
Bonus: N/A
40-Man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2025
Options Left: 3
Overview
The Pirates signed Linarez midway through the 2018-19 signing period. He’s a big guy, possibly bigger than his listing. He throws both a sinker and a four-seam fastball. Both sit in the low-90s, but he can get up to about 95. Linarez also employs a slider.
2018-20
Linarez spent 2018-19 in the DSL. He had a solid debut, although his walk and K rates weren’t good. He divided his time between starting and relieving. The following year, pitching strictly as a starter, Linarez improved significantly, holding opponents to a 214/274/289 line. He got off to a slow start, with a 5.93 ERA in his first three starts, but put up a 1.08 mark in his last nine. He didn’t pitch in 2020.
2021-22
In 2021, Linarez made eight starts in the FCL and was mostly dominant, including a very high K rate. He had control issues at times, but opponents batted just .188 against him and his K/9 was 14.3. When Greensboro needed pitchers late in the season, the Pirates moved Linarez there and he made two starts. In 2022, he went to Bradenton, spending most of the season in the rotation. He got off to a horrific start, with a 12.27 ERA through his first May outing. After that, he pitched much better. Over the last three months, including two end-of-season appearances for Greensboro, Linarez’ ERA was 2.08. His control faltered at times, but opponents batted only .210 against him. He had a significant platoon split; left-handed hitters put up an OPS of .751 against him, right-handed batters just .563.
2023-24
Linarez spent the 2023 season at Greensboro, except for two rough outings for Altoona at the end of the season. He started off in the rotation and had a very bad time. After eight starts, he moved to the bullpen, except for one, two-inning start. The difference in results was dramatic. As a starter, Linarez had a 7.11 ERA, 2.17 WHIP and .991 opponents’ OPS. As a reliever, 4.19, 1.21 and .608. His K/9 was 8.5 as a starter, 10.9 as a reliever.
In 2024, Linarez spent the first half of the season in the Altoona bullpen. It didn’t go well, with a 6.46 ERA and 1.70 WHIP. The Pirates moved him back down to Greensboro at mid-season and he pitched much better, with a 3.20 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He also had an extremely high K rate of 15.3 K/9. In July, August and one September game, he struck out 43% of the batters he faced.
Linarez would have been eligible for minor league free agency after the 2024 season, but before that happened he signed an extension for 2025.
Stats
Transactions
January 25, 2018: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent.