Ricardo Vélez

Ricardo Vélez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.
• School University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Connors State Junior College

• Born August 21, 1998 in Lajas Puerto Rico

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Ricardo Vélez has pitched in the minors.

After starting at junior college, he was 5-0 with a save and a 3.42 ERA for Oklahoma Sciences & Arts, with 69 K in 52 2/3 IP. He went 2-0 with two saves and a 3.14 ERA in the COVID-19-shortened 2020, fanning 25 but walking 11 in 14 1/3 innings. He had a 8-3, 2.38 record in 2021 with 128 K in 79 1/3 IP, allowing only 45 hits. He led the Sooner Athletic Conference in strikeouts (30 ahead of runner-up Tanner Solomon) and tied for 4th in wins. He was 1-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 32 K in 21 2/3 IP for the independent East Side Diamond Hoppers then the Minnesota Twins signed him as an undrafted free agent. He finished the summer with the FCL Twins, posting a 5.40 ERA in five games.

That winter, he made his Puerto Rican League debut, going 1-3 with a 2.73 ERA for RA12. He allowed one run in three innings as a reinforcement for the Criollos de Caguas in the 2022 Caribbean Series. He saw limited action with the 2022 FCL Twins (3.68 ERA in 12 G; 12 K in 7 1/3 IP). He went 3-2 with a 3.12 ERA his second winter with RA12, tying Adalberto Flores and Bowden Francis for 5th with 47 whiffs. He was superb in the 2023 Caribbean Series, tossing six shutout innings as a reinforcement for the Indios de Mayagüez. He got the win over the Leones del Caracas' Jhoulys Chacín. He split '23 between the FCL Twins (1-1, Sv, 4 UER in 5 IP), the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (4-1, 3 Sv, 3.49 in 13 G) and Cedar Rapids Kernels (1-1, 2.84 in 3 G).

With Caguas in 2023-2024, he was superb at 5-0 with a 1.52 ERA and .76 WHIP. He was one win behind leader Daryl Thompson despite being used exclusively in relief. He was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in the 2024 Caribbean Series, topping Jesus Linarez and the Gigantes de Rivas in the opener. He split 2024 between Cedar Rapids (7-1, 7 Sv, 2.72 in 27 G) and the Wichita Wind Surge (1-3, 6.27 in 16 G). He tied for 7th in the Midwest League in wins and tied for 4th in the Twins chain; he was also 5th among Minnesota's farmhands in saves. He was 1-0 with 3 saves for Caguas in 204-2025, yielding just two hits, a walk and an unearned run in 8 2/3 IP. At the 2025 Caribbean Series, he was 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five outings for Mayagüez. He lost to Anthony Vizcaya and the Cardenales de Lara then defeated Lara's Jimmy Endersby in a rematch with Lara. He tied Jake McSteen for the Series lead in games pitched.

A free agent, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2025, he pitched for the Peoria Chiefs (2-0, 1 UER in 6 1/3 IP) and Springfield Cardinals (5-1, 2 Sv, 1.99 in 30 G), doing much better in his second look at AA. He tied Tekoah Roby and Jason Savacool for 8th in the Cards system in wins. He was 1-1 with four saves, a 0.90 ERA and .80 WHIP for the Gigantes de Carolina that winter, placing 4th in the loop in saves. For the first time in his pro career, he did not appear in the Caribbean Series. He was now 36-16 with 20 saves and a 2.62 ERA as a pro.

He then made the Puerto Rican national team roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.