Villanova Univeristy Athletics

CAREER HONORS AND AWARDS

2023-24 (Junior)

BIG EAST All-Academic Team

Villanova Career: Named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (May 19, 2025) … Has played in 89 career games with 66 starts … Tallied 24 runs, 38 runs, 53 hits, eight doubles and nine home runs … Member of the 2023-24 BIG EAST All-Academic Team.
 
2025: Appeared in 32 games with 14 starts … Played 13 games as a catcher, 13 as the Wildcats’ designated hitter and six as a pinch hitter … Tallied 18 hits, a career-best 16 runs, 13 RBI and four home runs … Recorded a .277 batting average, .405 on-base percentage and a .523 slugging percentage … Had a career-high three hits twice: at Lipscomb (March 1) and vs. Seton Hall (May 15) … Tied a career-best with three RBI vs. Seton Hall (May 15) … Had back-to-back games with a home run against Seton Hall (May 15 & 16) … Had the fourth best slugging percentage in the BIG EAST through conference play (.706).
 
2024: Appeared in 26 games and started 25 of them … Recorded a .211 batting average, .333 slugging percentage and .348 on-base percentage … Had 19 hits including two doubles and three home runs resulting in 16 RBI and was walked 17 times … On defense recorded 107 putouts, 11 assists and a .967 fielding percentage … Had one of his best outings of the season against Creighton on April 19 where he had three RBI and a home run.
 
2023: Appearing in 22 games and starting in 19 of them … In 65 at-bats, he recorded 15 hits with a batting average of .231, slugging percentage of .354, and on-base percentage of .329 … Of those at-bats two were doubles, two home runs, 27 strikeouts, and had nine RBIs … Defensively he recorded 100 putouts (fifth on team), six assists, a .991 fielding percentage … Recorded a season-high twelve putout game at California on March 7 … He had a season high three RBIs on one at-bat against Penn on March 12.
 
2022: The freshman catcher appeared in 12 games and started 11 … He has a .237 on-base percentage and .094 slugging percentage in 32 plate appearances while batting .094 (3-for-32) with four runs scored and three hits … He walked four times and was hit by a pitch twice … Struck out 15 times … Defensively he had nine putouts and one assist while compiling a 1.000 fielding percentage … Behind the plate he had one pass ball … Had a season high of five putouts and one assist against Saint Joseph’s on May 4 … He had a season high of two runs scored against Fordham on May 17.
 
Salesian High School: Played catcher, outfield and first base during his scholastic career.
 
Personal: Born 4/3/03 in Bronx, N.Y. … Older of two sons of Jose and Yahaira Valdez … Has a younger brother, Raphiel (12) … Chose to attend Villanova for its combination of strong academic offerings and a good athletics program … Has yet to declare a major.