RAFFAELE JAVIER VELAZQUEZ...Led Huntington Beach to a National High School Invitational title...Hit 23 home runs in his high school career and finished his senior season with a .402 (37-for-92) batting average with six home runs, eight doubles, a triple and five stolen bases...Joined Nick Pratto (2017) and Hank Conger (2006) as first-round picks out of Huntington Beach HS...Previously committed to Arizona State...Signed by Chirag Nanavati...Sister, Ryann, plays softball Losal HS (rival of HB; CF'er)...Dodger and Lakers fan growing up; attended Dodger games in Goodyear and Glendale growing up (favorite player was Yasiel Puig)...Loves to fish and collect baseball cards with his dad and grandpa.
2025
Led the PD system in homers (22), hits (128), RBI (85), XBH (59), triples (nine) and TB (240), while ranking second in runs (77), third in SLG (.497) and OPS (.839)...Was promoted to Double-A Akron on Aug. 11 after starting the year in Lake County, ranking tied-for-fourth in the Eastern League in RBI (22), third in XBH (16), tied-for-sixth in homers (five) and sixth in OPS (.994) for the remainder of the season...Named Eastern League Player of the week from August 11-17 (12-for-22, .545, four 2B, four HR, seven RBI) during his first week in Double-A... Batted .371 (23-for-62) in his first 16 games in Akron through Aug. 31 (10 XBH, 1.183 OPS)...Reached in 20 straight games at LC (June 26-July 25)....Struggled in the cold weather to start the season, batting .191 (31-for-162, .680 OPS) with 18 XBH and 29 RBI over his first 42 games before warming up with the weather...Batted .287 (60-for-209) during his remaining tenure in High-A (.879 OPS) with 25 XBH and 34 RBI in 52 games...Combined on the year batted .298 (36-for-121) with 14 XBH and an .887 OPS (.254 vs. RHP with an .823 OPS)...Defensively, he made 94 starts at first base and 10 starts in LF (18 GS at DH).
2024
Split the year between A-Lynchburg and High-A Lake County, starting the year with the Hillcats before being promoted to LC on 8/12...Played in the Futures Game (BB as a PH)...sixth in the PD system in doubles (23) and eighth in RBI (61)...Named Carolina League Player of the Week (April 8-14)...At the time of his promotion to LC, he was eighth in the Carolina League in OBP (.362), T-sixth in BB (56), T-seventh in XBH (32)...Drafted as a catcher, appeared in only one game in his pro career behind the dish for the 2023 ACL Guardians.
