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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Losing Gleyber Torres to a sprained thumb was an opportunity for Bronx native Andrew Velazquez.
The 27-year-old played at Fordham Prep and said he grew up attending Yankees games.
“This is where my love for baseball started,” Velazquez said of the Yankees on Monday, shortly before starting shortstop for the Yankees in a wild, 8-6, 11 innings win. . “I can’t wait to put on the uniform.”
He ended up without a hitting, but scored a point and made several good defensive plays before Rougned Odor hit him in the 11th.
Velazquez is from the Morris Park section of the Bronx and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2012 Draft by the Diamondbacks and reached the majors with the Rays in 2018, then played 40 games with the Orioles in 2020 before signing with the Yankees this off-season. .
“Just telling my parents that I was activated was awesome,” Velazquez said. “I just want to help the team win. They are rolling now.
Forward Velazquez was part of the Yankees taxi team in the Bronx after playing well for Triple-A Scranton / Wilkes-Barre.
Velazquez, whose favorite player was Derek Jeter, said on Monday that becoming a Yankee was something “I’ve kind of felt obvious since I was a kid.”
He often attended games at Yankee Stadium.
“It’s a bit like my [MLB] debut again, ”said Velazquez, who said after signing with the Yankees last offseason that he knew he would play for them someday.
“When I was in kindergarten [at St. Francis Xavier], I said I would play at Yankee Stadium, ” Velazquez said in January. “I’m going to break my ass to go back.”
Aaron Boone noted that Velazquez has hit well with SWB this season, where he had an OPS of .838 in 277 home plate appearances – and loved his speed. Velazquez had 26 bases stolen in 29 attempts with SWB.
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