Following an 18-year playing career (1992-2009) which ended in the Phillies minor league system, Jorge Velandia has spent the last 14 years working in various roles for the organization, including a stint on the major league coaching staff in 2015. He was promoted to assistant general manager in December 2020, becoming the first Venezuelan-born executive to hold that position in major league history. Jorge had previously spent four years as special assistant to the general manager.
After finishing his career with the Phillies' triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley, Jorge spent two years (2010-11) as a coach for single-A Williamsport and one each as the assistant field coordinator (2012) and special assistant, player development (2013) before being named special assistant, player personnel, a role he held for three seasons (2014-16). He also helped construct Team Venezuela for the 2013 World Baseball Classic and served as the director of baseball operations for La Guaira of the Venezuelan Winter League for two years (2014-15) after a five-year run as general manager (2010-14).
A former infielder, Jorge was originally signed out of Venezuela by the Detroit Tigers in 1992 and played for 23 different professional teams in 11 organizations. He appeared in 174 career major league games from 1997-2008 with San Diego, Oakland, New York (NL), Tampa Bay, Toronto and Cleveland.
Jorge was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and currently resides in Moorestown, N.J., with his wife Ruth and their son George.
