In 'surreal moment,' Velazquez knocks in run while mic'd up in Spring Breakout
Tim Stebbins
@tim_stebbinsGOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Ralphy Velazquez is young enough to remember watching guys such as star outfielder Mookie Betts play in MLB during his childhood. It¡¯s why the Guardians¡¯ No. 5 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) doesn¡¯t take for granted the position he¡¯s in now, living out his own baseball dream.
And it¡¯s why a perhaps simple aspect of Friday¡¯s Spring Breakout game against the Mariners meant so much to the 19-year-old outfielder.
Velazquez (Cleveland¡¯s first-round Draft pick in 2023) was mic¡¯d up on the Guardians' TV broadcast in the third inning, during which time he chatted with broadcasters Matt Underwood and Rick Manning. As the inning came to a close, Velazquez shared a wholesome parting message.
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¡°That was a surreal moment for me,¡± Velazquez told Underwood and Manning at the end of his shift on the mic. ¡°I felt like I was in MLB The Show there. That¡¯s a dream I've had since I was a little kid."
That feeling goes beyond just getting a chance to be mic¡¯d up and rock an earpiece. Friday was a full-circle experience of sorts for Velazquez -- from watching Betts and other stars get interviewed during games to now being in those shoes himself.
¡°I'm sitting on my couch and I'm still in elementary school,¡± Velazquez recalled after the Guardians¡¯ 8-7 win over Seattle in the Spring Breakout. ¡°And I see [the in-game interviews] and I'm like, ¡®I want to do that one day.¡¯ [Friday] didn¡¯t feel real. It felt like I was in a video game.
¡°It¡¯s just so surreal that I'm getting to do this. I'm so fortunate, because a lot of kids would kill to be in my situation. So I go 100 percent every day. It just felt unreal out there, definitely.¡±
Velazquez pulled it off like a pro, too. He was mic¡¯d up in the bottom of the third inning, as well, and delivered for the Guardians offensively.
Cleveland had taken a 2-0 lead in the third by the time Velazquez stepped up to hit. After falling behind 0-2, he hit an opposite-field single, knocking a 93.8 mph offering from Seattle pitcher Logan Evans to left and bringing home Welbyn Francisca for the Guardians' third run of the game.
¡°Just stay inside the ball and adjust,¡± Velazquez told the broadcast crew after the hit.
With Velazquez standing on base, Seattle¡¯s No. 1 prospect and shortstop Colt Emerson walked over and joked, ¡°You guys have to start hitting the ball where we¡¯re at.¡± Velazquez quipped back, ¡°That wasn¡¯t the game plan, Colt.¡±
Velazquez finished the night going 1-for-3 with a walk and that RBI base hit. He moved from left field to first base in the sixth inning.
In his spare time, Velazquez said he enjoys playing MLB The Show, including one of its most popular modes, Road to The Show. There, users guide a player from the lower levels of the Minor Leagues up to the Majors.
Velazquez and many of his teammates on Friday are living out that journey right now, and they¡¯re doing it together. Before Friday¡¯s game, the Guardians honored High-A Lake County, which won the Midwest League championship game on Sept. 18 last season.
¡°Totally surreal,¡± Velazquez said. ¡°This is a special group of guys, and I know that we're going to be special for a long time. It was just unreal, great playing with these guys on this field.¡±
As their journeys continue, Velazquez and his teammates Friday could all be reunited again, potentially in Cleveland.
¡°That's where the culture comes in,¡± Velazquez said. ¡°You spend so much time around a group of guys, you guys are going to click. That's what's going on right now, and it's a good feeling.¡±