- Full name Derick Velasquez
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
- School Merced (Calif.) JC
Top Rankings
Draft Prospects
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Velasquez came to Merced from a small high school -- Los Banos (Calif.) High -- so he didn't get a lot of scouting attention last year. It has been a different story this year, as scouts see present velocity and lots of projection. Velasquez sits in the 88-92 mph range with his fastball. While he has been down into the mid-80s at times late in a start, scouts think it's because he's worn out from playing both ways. Standing 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, he has a loose, athletic body scouts can dream on. He shows the potential for three plus pitches as he develops and continues to add strength and fill out. Velasquez throws a circle changeup and a curveball, and he hides the ball well and shows good command of his pitches. Velasquez is 18 and won't turn 19 until November, so he's younger than many of the top high school pitchers in this draft.
