The Diamondbacks have signed infielder Andrew Velazquez to a minor league deal, in response to an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate. The 31-year-old is represented by CAA Sports activities.
Velazquez had been with the Rangers on a non-roster deal since early December. He received into 16 Spring Coaching video games however batted simply .111/.194/.185 in 32 plate appearances. The Rangers launched him on the finish of March, and Velazquez lingered in free company till this pact with Arizona. He has not appeared within the majors since 2023 with the Angels and has spent the final two years on the Triple-A stage with the Braves and Yankees, respectively.
In 368 PA with the Yankees’ high affiliate in 2025, Velazquez batted .242/.304/.345 with a 74 wRC+. That manufacturing was par for the course for Velazquez, whose final significant pattern as an above-average hitter got here in 2021 at Triple-A (119 wRC+ in 306 PA). Since that season, he has proven minimal energy at each stage together with the majors, with out making contact or getting on base sufficient to strategy even common offense. He has some fringe worth as a consequence of his velocity, although. In 224 minor league video games for the reason that begin of 2024, Velazquez has stolen 58 bases.
Defensively, Velazquez has principally performed at shortstop within the majors. In 2022, he was valued at 11 Defensive Runs Saved and three Outs Above Common in 906 innings there with the Angels. He regressed the next season in a smaller pattern, coming in at -5 DRS and -3 OAA in 233 1/3 innings. He’s been roughly common with the glove outdoors of these two years. Since 2024, he’s additionally gotten some minor-league work within the outfield, and the Diamondbacks’ announcement lists him as a utilityman, reasonably than strictly an infielder.
Versatility apart, Velazquez is merely a no-risk depth possibility for Arizona. The membership has Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte lined up at shortstop and second base, respectively. They haven’t hit properly to begin the 12 months, however Perdomo had a breakout season in 2025 and is within the first 12 months of a brand new contract extension, so he’s not going wherever. Neither is Marte, who has a observe report as probably the greatest second basemen within the league. Nolan Arenado is 35 and struggling offensively and defensively at third base, however likewise, his observe report offers him loads of leeway. At finest, Velazquez will likely be referred to as up in some unspecified time in the future an emergency defensive possibility if one of many regulars lands on the injured listing.
Photograph courtesy of Mike Watters, Imagn Photographs
