César Valdez
A crafty pitcher whose unique changeup carried him on a globe-trotting baseball journey from the Dominican Republic to ten professional leagues.
Born 1985 (age 41)·Dominican baseball player·Birthday: March 17·Millennials
Biography
César Valdez's professional baseball career is a map of the modern game's international circuits. Signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks, his initial MLB stint was brief, launching a odyssey that saw him master his craft in Mexico, Taiwan, and the Dominican Winter League. His breakthrough came with a reinvented pitch—a slow, fluttering changeup often called a 'screwball'—that baffled hitters and earned him a return to the majors with the Baltimore Orioles in his mid-30s. There, he briefly became a reliable relief weapon, proving that persistence and a single devastating pitch can rewrite a career script. His journey underscores the vast, interconnected network of professional baseball beyond the bright lights of the American league.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
César was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When César Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
César's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Mexican League's Pitcher of the Year award in 2016 while playing for the Saraperos de Saltillo.
- Led the Dominican Winter League in earned run average (ERA) in the 2016-2017 season for the Tigres del Licey.
- Pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in 2020-2021, posting a 1.26 ERA in 22 appearances in the shortened season.
- Has played professional baseball in over ten countries and leagues, including MLB, CPBL (Taiwan), and LMB (Mexico).
Did You Know?
His signature changeup has been clocked as slow as 68 miles per hour, a drastic contrast to his fastball.
He was the opening day starting pitcher for the Lamigo Monkeys in Taiwan's CPBL in 2018.
He has played for both the Leones de Yucatán and their rival, the Tigres de Quintana Roo, in the Mexican League.
He did not make his MLB debut until age 25 and had a seven-year gap between his first and second MLB appearances.
“I throw the changeup because it's the pitch that brought me back.”
