Astros’ Vincent Velasquez Dealing with Setback in Spring Training

By Wayne Cavadi | Feb 23, 2015

The good news for the Houston Astros is that one of their top pitching prospects is in spring training this year. The bad news is he won’t be ready to pitch for several weeks. Vincent Velasquez will be eased back into action as he recovers from a lat strain for at least the next two weeks.

Velasquez was drafted by the Houston Astros in the second round of the of the 2010 draft. The 6 foot 3, 205 pound righty had an exciting debut at the Rookie level going 2-2 with a 3.07 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP at just 18 years of age. He would suffer a setback and miss the 2011 season with Tommy John surgery.

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Seemingly unaffected, Velasquez went 4-1 after his return in June of 2012 in the New York/ Penn League, posting a 3.35 ERA, a 1.182 WHIP, and striking out 51 while walking just 17 in 45.2 innings. Velasquez would eclipse the 100 inning mark for the first time in 2013 while logging a career high 10.3 strikeout per nine rate.

Velasquez put together a strong 2014, despite missing nearly two months with a groin injury. He racked up two Pitcher of the Week Awards in the High-A California League en route to a 7-4 record with a 3.74 ERA and a new career high of 11.7 strikeout per nine ratio. At season’s end, he was the No. 7 prospect in the Astros system and the 86th best prospect in baseball. Things were looking up for the future of the Astros rotation.

Velasquez sees the strained right lat muscle, which he suffered in the 2014 Arizona Fall League, as a minor setback.

“I’m not too worried about it,” Velasquez said on MiLB.com. “Me, personally, I’m very optimistic going into it, taking the positive out and just biding my time and trying not to rush it. I’m doing exactly what the trainers want me to do to make it better.”

Velasquez has a three pitch arsenal that features an above average fastball and changeup the MLB Pipeline grades out at 60s. His fastball is his signature pitch and sits in the mid-90s. His plus-curveball, which currently grades out at a 50, has improved each year but still needs some work. His control is above average, however it too still needs some work. If he can lower his career 3 walks per nine rate, his fast arm and athleticism should be his ticket to the Major Leagues.

Velasquez is at least a year away. He may never be more than a middle rotation arm, but should he recover and have a strong spring training, he could provide a glimpse of the future of the Astros. Should Mark Appel (who also is in spring training) and Lance McCullers hit as front end of the rotation pitchers as expected, Velasquez would be a perfect three or four pitcher in the near future for a young Astros team on the rise.

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