Rafael Valera of Cedar Rapids Kernels can play any position

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Kernels have an infinite amount of promotions each season.

Friday night was 'Minions Night,' for instance, with hats of the 'Despicable Me' characters distributed. Daily between-innings promotions include a 'Pizza Race' and 'Goofy Goggles Race.'

Someone in the Midwest League club's front office needs to flesh out some sort of promotion honoring do-it-all-defensively Kernels player Rafael Valera. Fans can send in their guesses as to which position Valera will play that night, with an autographed glove of that position given away or something.

Going into Saturday afternoon's home game against South Bend, Valera had gotten four starts at second base, three at third, three in the outfield and three at catcher.

He signed with the Minnesota Twins out of Venezuela in 2011 as a shortstop. Last season, he played a little first base for the Kernels and even pitched a shutout inning as an emergency reliever.

Valera, 21, puts the 'verse' in 'versatility,' and he is perfectly content with that. He's not bothered one bit by not knowing what position Manager Jake Mauer has in store for him every day when he drives to the ballpark.

'Oh, yeah. That's true,' he said. 'I don't really worry too much about that. I just want to play every day. Be out there and do my best.'

Valera's least experience has been as an outfielder, but he made a pair of really good over-the-head catches of twisting wind-blown flyballs the other night against West Michigan. Friday night against South Bend, he throw out a runner at the plate trying to score from second on a base hit to left.

Then there's catching, the most difficult defensive position of them all.

'The first year, I got to the States (in 2014), they told me to go to instructional league and learn how to be a catcher. But I didn't take that seriously too much,' Valera said. 'They sent me here last year, and I just played infield. I didn't think I'd ever be a catcher. But they told me again (last fall) I had to go to instructs and be a catcher. I went there, and it was just catching. No infield, no outfield stuff. They told me I had to come to spring training and be a catcher. That's when I realized they were serious.'

The Kernels are 3-0 this season when he has been behind the plate.

'He does a good job, has a feel for how to call a game. That's usually the last thing to come,' Mauer said. 'There's still some of the physical stuff (he needs to improve upon): the blocking and glove work and framing, which comes from experience. But from when I saw him at the beginning of spring training to now, he's light years better. That may be his way to the big leagues, being a super utility guy. If you can hit .260, .270 and play eight different spots ... and he could probably even pitch for you.'

From a selfish standpoint, Valera is a dream to have for Mauer. If someone needs a day off, or an injury or two pops up, the skipper knows he has a capabale fill-in.

'He is a guy you love to have because he gives you a lot of flexibility,' Mauer said. 'He wants to play, everywhere you put him.'

'That's what everybody told me,' said Valera, who hit .283 in 62 games last season for C.R. and was at .250 in 18 games this season. 'If I can play everywhere, and I can hit a little bit, that's going to be good for me.'

MORE ROSTER MOVES FOR KERNELS

• The Kernels and Twins announced Saturday morning that outfielder Daniel Kihle has been placed on the seven-day disabled list with a strained knee. Kihle arrived in town from extended spring training Thursday and was injured in a collision with shortstop Jermaine Palacios chasing a pop fly in the second inning of his first game.

• The Kernels placed infielder Manuel Guzman on the DL Friday with a strained quad muscle. Infielder Nelson Molina, 21, was brought in from extended spring training. An 11th-round draft pick of the Twins in 2013, he is a career .191 hitter in 118 professional games.

How They're Doing

Colin Rea (San Diego Padres): Cascade native and former University of Northern Iowa pitcher is 1-1 in five games, four starts, with 5.06 ERA. Was expected to be starting pitcher Saturday night against Los Angeles Dodgers.

Scott Schebler (Cincinnati Reds): Outfielder from Solon and Cedar Rapids Prairie has a .148 batting average in 21 games, with a home run and five RBIs.

Chad Christensen (Fort Myers/Class A): Homered Friday night against Jupiter. Former Cedar Rapids Washington prep is hitting .233 in 17 games for Minnesota Twins affiliate.

Matt Dermody (Dunedin/Class A): Former University of Iowa pitcher notched second save of season earlier in the week. Is 1-1 with a 1.86 earned run average in eight games for Blue Jays affiliate.

Jon Keller (Bowie/Double-A): Relief pitcher from Cedar Rapids Xavier has not allowed a run in his last three appearances, spanning 6 2/3 innings. Has no record and 4.00 ERA in five games this season.

Sasha Kuebel (Peoria/Class A): Former Hawkeye pitcher has no record and 3.97 ERA in seven games for St. Loius Cardinals Midwest League affiliate.

Derrick Loveless (Dunedin/Class A): The outfielder from Solon is hitting .216 in 17 games for Blue Jays affiliate. Has a home run and eight RBIs.

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