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Phillies prospect Jesmuel Valentin to miss season after shoulder surgery

Jesmuel Valentin's season - which began with him nearly cracking the Phillies roster - officially ended on Friday morning when he had surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder.

The second base prospect separated his shoulder after diving for a ball with triple-A Lehigh Valley. It is the same injury he suffered three months earlier in the offseason Caribbean Series. Valentin is expected to miss four to six months. He hopes to play winter ball this season but fully expects to be ready for spring training.

"It was really frustrating. One of those moments where I didn't know what to do. I didn't talk to anyone for three days," Valentin said. "But those are things I can't control. All I'm thinking is that if it happened, it was meant to happen. Trying to stay positive, have a good rehab and do the same things next spring training that I did this spring training."

Valentin, who turned 23 earlier this month, batted .229 this season in 29 games at triple A. The Phillies acquired him in August of 2014 from Los Angeles as part of the trade that sent Roberto Hernandez to the Dodgers. Valentin was the final player cut from spring training.

"One of the first guys that called me was Freddy Galvis," Valentin said. "Galvis had the same surgery. He called me as soon as he read it. He said 'Don't worry about it and it's one of the things we can't control. Just stay healthy and positive and you'll be stronger than ever.' He is one of the guys that has always been there for me."

His spot at triple A is currently being filled by veteran Pedro Florimon. It will likely soon be taken by Scott Kingery, who has 14 homers and is batting .291 in 165 at-bats at double A. Kingery reached double A at the end of last July and could be a month from reaching triple A.