Chris Vallimont Season Review: The Next Wave of Miami Marlins

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 100 of 286. Stay tuned.

Chris Ryan Vallimont is a 6’5″, 220 lb. right-handed starting pitcher from Erie, Pennsylvania. 12 players have originated out of Erie, including current major leaguer Tim Federowicz.

Vallimont was born on March 18th, 1997, and was chosen in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Amateur Entry Draft out of Mercyhurst College. In three seasons of Division 2 play, Vallimont posted a 21-5 record and a 2.59 ERA while maintaining a 14.47 K/9 rate, with a 1.03 WHIP. This includes a ridiculous 147 whiffs in 80 1/3 innings as a junior in 2018.

Chosen with the 147th overall selection, Vallimont joins a fraternity that has placed 20 percent of its members into the major leagues. The group is most notably led by Brandon Belt (2009, San Francisco Giants, 22.7 career WAR), Ron Hodges (1970, Baltimore Orioles, 6.1 WAR), and Ryan Raburn (2001, Detroit Tigers, 3.0 WAR).

Vallimont signed with the Miami Marlins after the draft for a $300,000 bonus, and reported to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League. Blessed with a wipeout slider and a fastball that touches 96, Vallimont’s height allows him to attack hitters with a downward slanted delivery. You can follow Vallimont on Twitter @Valli_Swag7.

After joining Batavia, Vallimont made his debut on July 1st, starting and allowing two hits in three shutout innings. He struck out Edison Lantigua in the first inning and worked a 1-2-3 inning in the third, and the Muckdogs went on to defeat the West Virginia Black Bears, 8-4. On August 7th, in a 1-0 win over the Black Bears, Vallimont whiffed four in three shutout two-hit innings.

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Over 12 games, Vallimont struck out 20 batters in 29 innings. He also walked 23 batters and allowed 23 hits for a 1.586 WHIP. Despite his troubles, he held opposing batters to a .215/.351/.355 slashline. He was best with the bases empty, holding opponents to 11 hits in 77 plate appearances for a .177 average. The Muckdogs posted a 36-40 record, finishing third in the six-team Pinckney Division.

The Miami Marlins expect Vallimont to mature into a rotational prospect at the big league level, maybe around 2021 or 2022. He’s still only 21-years-old, so may yet fill out his 6’5″ frame a little better, with possible corresponding projection to his already impressive fastball. Still rostered with the Muckdogs, we can expect him to join the Clinton LumberKings in the single-A Midwest League for the 2019 campaign.

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