Unleashing The Ant: Luis Velasquez Throws Triple Digit Heat

Bridgewater, New Jersey - The Somerset Patriots' active pitching staff boasts an average height of over 6-foot-3, with four players standing at 6-foot-6 or taller. So it may come as a surprise that the hardest thrower among them is listed at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds.

Luis Velasquez, who has "The Ant" stitched in silver cursive lettering on his glove, has earned this nickname — one he’s clearly embraced — for being small but mighty. His upper-90’s fastball consistently lights up the radar gun, even touching triple digits.

Growing up in Fantino, Dominican Republic, Velasquez played shortstop, idolizing Jose Reyes and aspiring to emulate the four-time Mets All-Star’s speed and defensive prowess. However, there was one problem: "I couldn't hit," Velasquez joked.

Though he was eligible to sign with a major league team at 16 years old, Velasquez failed to attract interest from MLB organizations when he attended tryouts and camps across the Dominican Republic. Two years later, after a tryout in his hometown, a Los Angeles Angels scout approached him, praised his arm strength, and suggested he give up his dreams of becoming the next Jose Reyes to become a pitcher instead.

Velasquez dedicated himself to the mound, training rigorously for six months before returning for another round of tryouts with various MLB teams, including the Yankees. As he stepped on the rubber, he overheard the familiar whispers from the scouts huddled behind home plate, mocking his size, whispering predictions of how fast he would throw. One guessed 80, another gambled 86. Velasquez smirked. He hit 93 mph and inked a professional contract with the Yankees on April 26, 2019, nearly three years after first becoming eligible.

Less than a year after throwing his first pitch, Velasquez made his professional debut with the DSL Yankees in 2019. He was named a DSL Postseason All-Star after posting a 3.38 ERA with 39 K over 34.2 IP of relief.

However, his progress was slowed over the next three years, throwing only 24.1 IP between 2020-2022 all with the Yankees' rookie-level FCL team, due to covid, injuries, and a lack of opportunity.

But in 2023, Velasquez broke out. Splitting the season between Class-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley, he recorded a 1.74 ERA with 77 K in 62 IP, and a 0.98 WHIP. From mid-July to late August, he enjoyed a 20.2-inning scoreless streak, including retiring 19 consecutive batters across three outings. His fastball began regularly clocking at 98 mph.

Velasquez credited his improvement to mechanical adjustments made with then-Hudson Valley Pitching Coach Preston Claiborne, along with a new regiment of long tossing and weighted ball program.

“He's very unassuming until you hear the fastball pop the mitt,” Claiborne, now the Class-A Tampa Tarpons Pitching Coach, told MiLB.com last year. “He has such an electric fastball and devastating slider combo out of a little guy... He's probably the most polite 98 mph arm I've ever come across. "

Assigned to Double-A Somerset’s 2024 break camp roster, Velasquez struggled with command early in the season. He walked nine batters over his first 10.2 IP, posting a 8.44 ERA in his first six outings.

On June 14th in Binghamton, NY, Velasquez had a forgettable seventh inning of relief against the Mets' affiliate Rumble Ponies. He threw 15 pitches—only five for strikes—walked two batters, hit two more, and failed to record an out. The Patriots blew an early lead and lost the game.

Fortunately in the minors, where wins and losses take a backseat to development, this particular game marked a turning point in Velasquez’s journey to the major leagues.

Following the game, Velasquez sat down with Patriots Manager Raul Dominguez and Pitching Coach Brett DeGagne. “We had a meeting just to let him know how good he is,” Dominguez explained.

The coaching staff emphasized their high regard for Velasquez and the Yankees front office’s belief in his potential. They also discussed confidence and body language and addressed his tendency to show frustration early in outings, encouraging him to shake off early failures and stay focused.

DeGagne emphasized the strength of Velasquez’s arsenal— his fastball, slider, and changeup - explaining that Velasquez’s pitches were so good that even when they were in the strike zone, batters struggled to hit them. “Some guys have to rely on chase to get that type of miss,” DeGagne said. “But he can do it in the zone and he can do it with all three pitches… It’s high-level stuff.”

That push was all Velasquez needed.

Luis Velasquez was clocked at 100.4 MPH in a perfect 7th inning which he capped off with a strikeout on a slider🎟️🥊 pic.twitter.com/9cHAmyx4iN

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 5, 2024

The right-hander did not allow a run over his next four outings, which included hitting 100 mph on the radar gun for the first time in his career during an appearance vs. Richmond.

Over his last nine outings before landing on the Patriots' 7-day injured list on August 1st, Velasquez posted a 2.93 ERA with 25 K/8 BB in 15.1 IP.

“I'm so glad that he's doing way better,” Dominguez said. “He’s been touching 98-99 mph consistently and he’s been dominant.”

DeGagne added, “he’s taking care of business and the results are starting to come and the confidence is there with it. He’s really turned the corner and we’re excited about what’s coming.”