The cult hero of the 2021 Yankees, a journeyman infielder who grew up in the Bronx, is returning to the organization after spending two seasons with the Angels and all of last year as a Braves minor leaguer.
Slick-fielding shortstop Andrew Velazquez is back with the Yankees on a minor-league deal, Jack Curry of YES reported Friday on X.
Velazquez, 30, will compete for a spot on the Yankees’ bench during spring training, but most likely begin the season in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Velazquez has bounced around a lot in his 13 professional seasons, mostly as a minor leaguer. A career .189 hitter with 12 homers, 40 steals and 624 plate appearances, the switch-hitter played 125 of his 275 games in 2022 with the Angels. In 223 games at shortstop, he has a .973 fielding percentage that is higher than the .971 Anthony Volpe compiled playing short for the Yankees the last two seasons as a Gold Glove winner in 2023 and Gold Glove finalist in 2024.
When Gleyber Torres went on the injured list in August 2021 during his second of two seasons playing shortstop for the Yankees, Velazquez went from Triple-A non-roster player to big-league starter for a month.
For the Yankees, Velazquez lived up to his reputation as a standout fielder and more. In addition to making a lot of good plays at short, he contributed some clutch hits, including a first-career homer on Aug. 21 at Yankee Stadium.
Family members cried in the stands watching Velazquez run the bases after a homer came in a win over the Twins that was the Yankees’ ninth during a 14-game winning streak that is the franchise’s longest since 1962.
Velazquez hit .224 with one homer and six RBI in 28 games with the Yankees. He was batting .250 before going 3-for-19 in his last 12 games.
Velazquez also made the Yankees’ Wild Card Game roster in 2021 and started at shortstop in the 6-2 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, going 0-for-1 with a flyout to left before leaving for a pinch-hitter.
Velazquez played for the Braves’ Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate last season, hitting .242 with a career-high 16 homers, 48 RBI and .692 OPS in 118 games.
This winter he’s played in the Puerto Rican Winter League and batted .158 with three homers and 7 RBIs in 35 games with Ponce.
Velazquez is the first addition of the new year for the Yankees, who added seven players to their 40-man roster in December — first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, left-handed starter Max Fried and reliever Jonathan Loaisiga in free agent signings, outfielder Cody Bellinger. closer Devin Williams, reliever Fernandez Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson in trades.
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.