Diego Velazquez

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #239 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Crespi Carmelite HS, Los Angeles Drafted/Committed: USC
  Age At Draft: 17.9
  
  Velazquez is a young-for-the-class shortstop who will be 17 on draft day, but boasts impressive lefthanded bat speed and solid physicality for a player of his age. Listed at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Velazquez has present strength and does a nice job whipping the barrel through the zone with a swing that’s loose and easy, but does come with a noticeable hand hitch in his load. He’s shown a keen batting eye, but his swing has come with some miss tendencies that could continue to get exposed against higher-caliber pitching. Scouts who have seen him at his best see a hitter who drives the ball up the middle consistently with a chance for both average and power. He’s not a runner, and while he’s a shortstop now, his below-average speed could make him a better fit for third base. Velazquez does have impressive actions and smooth hands, with an ability to make the backhand play with confidence and get the ball in and out of his glove quickly on the double play turn. Those actions could keep him at shortstop as a bigger-bodied defender for the position, or make him a good defender at third where his above-average arm will fit nicely. He’s been up to 92 mph on the mound. Velazquez is committed to USC.
• Ranked #55 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Crespi Carmelite HS, Los Angeles Committed: USC
  Age At Draft: 17.9
  Velazquez is one of the youngest players in the 2025 class—he will still be 17 on draft day—and generates easy bat speed from the left side. It’s a calm, loose swing with low effort, and while his offensive performance has been up and down, he’s flashing home run power to his pull side now and has the physical projection to grow into a power-hitting infielder. He’s a below-average runner who has good actions at shortstop, particularly to his backhand, and has a quick exchange on the double play pivot.