Nelson Velázquez #38

Graduated from PJ Educational School in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Is the only Major League player who was drafted and went on to play in the Major Leagues from the school...Enjoys playing MLB The Show and Call of Duty Warzone in his spare time...Cubs signing scout was Edwards Guzman...Resides in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

2025

Began the season with Omaha (AAA) and played in 33 games before his outright release. Signed on with Oaxaca de Guerreros of the Mexican League on June 4 and played in 49 games. Was signed as a free agent by the Pirates on Sept. 1 and finished the season with Indianapolis (AAA), playing in 18 games...Combined to play in 100 professional games over the course of the year and compiled 416 plate appearances batting .297 (115-for-387) with 26 HR and 88 RBI...Finished strong with Indianapolis batting .284 with five HR and 17 RBI. Had multiple RBI in five of his last eight games for 13 RBI total and three HR...Batted .357 with 15 HR and 57 RBI with a .444 on-base percentage with Oaxaca. Ranked third on the club in home runs and batting and fourth in RBI...Garnered playing time with Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League and the Estrellas of the Dominican Winter League this off-season. Recorded 150 at-bats between the two clubs hitting four HR, 23 RBI and 12 doubles.

2024

Was named to his first career Opening Day roster in 2024 and made his first career Opening Day start as the DH on March 28 vs. the Twins...Appeared in 64 games for the Royals in 2024 and batted just .200 (41-for-205), however 17 of his 41 hits went for extra bases (eight doubles, one triple, eight HR)...Recorded his third career multi-homer game on May 29 at Minnesota, hitting a two-run HR off Bailey Ober in the third inning and a solo shot off Ober in the fifth, for a combined 831 ft. of home runs (per Statcast)...Connected for a game-tying, pinch-hit, two-run triple in the ninth inning on June 2 vs. San Diego, becoming the third Royal to hit a game-tying, pinch-hit triple in the ninth or later...he subsequently scored the game-winning run on Nick Loftin’s walk-off sacrifice fly...Was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on June 24 and remained with the Storm Chasers for the rest of the season...In 56 games with Omaha in 2024, he slashed .239/.356/.415 (45-for-188) with 34 walks, 10 doubles, one triple, seven HR, 33 RBI, 22 runs scored and six steals.

2023

Split time with the Cubs and Triple-A Iowa to begin 2023, before being acquired by Kansas City on July 31…he made his Royals debut on Aug. 10 and from that day through season’s end, his 14 HR tied for second most in the American League behind Aaron Judge (16)...Made his Royals debut as a defensive replacement on Aug. 10 in Boston and made his first start with the Royals on Aug. 11 vs. St. Louis, when he became the fifth player in Royals history, according to Elias, to hit a HR in his first plate appearance with the club...He hit a HR every 9.50 at-bats with Kansas City, the highest rate in the Majors from his Royals debut on Aug. 10 through season’s end, ahead of Kyle Schwarber (9.71)...His 14 HR and 34 RBI in 40 games with the Royals paced out to 56 HR and 137 RBI over 162 games...Of his 38 hits in the Majors, 23 went for extra bases (60.5%), the third-highest rate (min. 20 XBH) behind Davis Schneider (65.6%) and Joey Gallo (62.0%)...His 14 HR are the most in Royals history by a player in his first 38 games with an at-bat with the club...His .586 slugging percentage ranked 6th in the Majors (min. 160 at-bats), trailing only Shohei Ohtani (.654), Corey Seager (.623), Aaron Judge (.613), Matt Olson (.604) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (.596)...Named Royals Player of the Month for September/ October after 12 of his 20 hits went for extra bases (60.0%), including nine HR, which tied for the third most HR by a Royal in September behind Salvador Perez (10 HR in Sept. 2021) and Jorge Soler (10 HR in Sept. 2019)...Homered in three straight games from Sept. 4-6 vs. the White Sox, becoming the first Royal with a HR in three straight games since Salvador Perez in Sept. 2021.

2022

Nelson in 2022 played in 77 games for the Cubs, batting .205 (38-for-185) with seven doubles, three triples, six home runs, 26 RBI and five stolen bases....Saw time at all three outfield positions and designated hitter, tallying two assists. ...Made his Major League debut in game one of the doubleheader May 30 vs. Milwaukee...collected his first career hit that day, an infield single off Ethan Small....Optioned to Triple-A Iowa June 1...recalled June 20... In the first 12 games after being recalled from Iowa, batted .308 (8-for-26) with four RBI, a .400 OBP and a .977 OPS....Hit his first career homer July 4 at Milwaukee off Eric Lauer....Blasted two home runs and notched a career-high five RBI July 22 at Philadelphia after entering as a pinch-hitter...is the second Cub since at least 1901 to record two homers in a game as a non-starter (also Thad Bosley, Aug. 12, 1985)...His first homer of the game was the first pinch-homer of his career....Tallied a career-high three hits Aug. 8 against the Nationals, including his first career game-winning RBI....Had two career-high five-game hitting streaks, June 30-July 5 and Aug. 8-16....Hit triples in back-to-back games Oct. 1-2, becoming the first Cub to accomplish the feat since Kyle Schwarber (Sept. 1-2, 2018). 

2021

In 2021, led Cubs minor leaguers with 73 RBI, 45 extra-base hits and 191 total bases while his 20 home runs and 104 hits ranked second... Batted .290 (36-for-124) with 10 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 27 RBI in 34 games for Double-A Tennessee following his promotion from High-A South Bend, Aug. 4... Between the two clubs, batted .270 (104-for-385) with 23 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs and 73 RBI in 103 games... Named the Arizona Fall League MVP after leading the league with nine home runs, 40 hits, a .712 slugging mark, a 1.191 OPS, 16 extra-base hits and 74 total bases in 26 games for the Mesa Solar Sox... Was the Cubs' first AFL MVP since Kris Bryant in 2013.