Langdon: Lessons passed on by former Blue Jays’ farmhand

Lessons for kids and a new dream for former Blue Jays’ farmhand

Former Blue Jays farmhand Julian Valdez pases on his knowledge to a youngster at the Dominican Canadian Baseball Corporation’s training facility

By Scott Langdon

Canadian Baseball Network

Julian Valdez left his native Dominican Republic at the age of 19 with the dream of playing for the Blue Jays in Toronto. Now 27 years old, the game has brought him to the city, but with a new dream to pursue.

Valdez moved away from his family when he was 14 to learn at one of the academies in the Dominican Republic (DR). The Blue Jays signed the right-handed pitcher when he was 19. He moved again, this time to the United States to pursue his professional baseball dream.

He played in the Blue Jays minor league system for four years, rising to the Double A level. He was released and eventually moved to Toronto to pursue his dream with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the then Intercountry Baseball League. He no longer plays for the team.

“Baseball is a passion for kids in the Dominican. I could not wait for opportunities to play and have fun with my friends. It was an escape from the neighborhood,” he explained.

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For many Dominican children, a future in the sugar cane fields, the hotel or travel industry or some other low-paying job may seem inevitable. But when the majors began obtaining talent from the DR, Dominicans could dream of making heaps of money hitting home runs.

_ Baseball Research Journal, 2017

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Valdez says his fastball topped out in the high 90s. “But I could have been better with my control,” he says with a chuckle. He didn’t achieve his dream of playing for the Blue Jays but considers his 13-year journey a success for him and his family.

His easy smile, encouraging attitude and knowledge of the mechanics and fundamentals of the sport have made him a poplar instructor at the(DCBC) in North York, Ont.

“There are many opportunities in the game besides playing the game, such as coaching and teaching. I’m married with a new, three-month-old daughter,” Valdez said. “My new dream is to give her a better life and more opportunities in Canada than I could have back home.”

Moving from the DR to the United States as a teenager was difficult, he says. It was a “new world, with a new language and a new culture.” But overcoming challenges including how to cook his own food and teaching himself to speak English were valuable life lessons, He tries to pass these lessons to the children he teaches at the DCBC.

“Fun comes from learning new skills that will allow someone to continue playing as they get older. But it requires discipline, hard work and an ability to pay attention,” he says. Baseball skills require repetition that develops muscle memory and builds confidence by transforming the mechanics into habits.

Valdez is one of five instructors at the DCBC in addition to Wellington Francisco, the president of the company. Francisco is also a native of the DR, where he was coaching since the age of 16. He moved to Toronto with his Canadian wife in 2017 and started the DCBC with partner Anthony Cohen in 2022.

The other instructors are:

_ Wilgenis Alvarado – A left-handed pitcher from Venezuela, he played in the Blue Jays minor league system for three years reaching the Single A level. Like Valdez, he came to Canada to pursue his dream with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the then Intercounty League.

_ Saul Vasquez – A left-handed pitcher from Mexico, Vasquez played three seasons in the Chicago Cubs system reaching the Single A level. He also pitched for the Yucatan Lions in the Mexican League as well as other teams in his native country. He has come to Canada to pitch for the Barrie Baycats of the Canadian Baseball

League this season.

_ Sammy Jimenez – An American of Puerto Rican descent, Jimenez learned his in competitive leagues around New York City.

_ Vanessa Flores – She played for the national women’s softball team in her native Venezuela, for the Chilean national women’s team and spent a year playing for a team in France. She arrived in Canada in 2024 to live with family who had immigrated to Toronto. She intends to try out for the Canadian national woman’s softball team this year

Like Valdez, the other instructors have international journeys on their resumes. Not surprisingly, their advice for kids learning baseball is similar.

“Teaching baseball is an opportunity to share what I have learned through my experiences. My best advice for kids is to focus on their dreams, avoid distractions and use their time well to improve their skills, “Vasquez says,

Flores says, “I love my job” and encourages her students to focus on improving their mechanics. “Baseball is hard and takes concentration,” she says and adds that “a hunger to learn will keep kids playing.”

Perhaps Jimenez has the best advice.

“I moved away from baseball for a few years, then started helping to coach my nephew’s team. It was a reminder of how much I enjoyed the game. I realized how much I missed it. I hope I can help kids avoid my mistake. I would be happy if I can have a positive impact on a child’s life by teaching the importance of discipline, hard work and commitment to getting better.”

The DCBC’s slogan is “transforming lives through baseball.” Perhaps it applies to

its instructors as well as its players.