MINNEAPOLIS – Wednesday evening, the Minnesota Twins announced the free-agent signing of Ricardo Velez. 

Prior to the 2021 season, Ricardo Velez, a senior from Lajas, Puerto Rico, had established himself as one of the best relief pitchers in the NAIA. Due to various injuries on the team, Velez was brought into the starting rotation, and he flourished. The hard-throwing righty earned five SAC Pitcher of the Week awards over a six-week span to close the regular season.

This spring, Velez had one of the most dominant seasons in program history, posting an 8-3 record with a 2.38 earned run average and 128 strikeouts in 79.1 innings pitched. On April 2, Velez was un-hittable, tossing a 15-strikeout, no-hitter against Wayland Baptist University. 

Among NAIA pitchers, Velez ranked fourth in opponent batting average (.167), seventh in strikeouts (128), and 24th in ERA (2.38).

In his career, Velez has earned a NAIA All-American selection, a first-team All-SAC selection, NAIA Pitcher of the Week, and he was selected to the 2019 NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team. In 45 career appearances, Velez produced a 15-3 record, with a 2.83 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 146.1 innings pitched. In the program records, he ranks third in strikeouts and sixth in earned run average. 

Following a stellar spring season with the Drovers, Velez pitched in the United Shores Professional Baseball League for the Eastside Diamond Hoppers. He shined in the league, earning an all-star selection and the attention of Major League Baseball organizations.