Alexander Velez of Gov. Mifflin is named MikeDragoSports.com Pitcher of the Year
Even though Alexander Velez pitched only seven innings for Gov. Mifflin last year Mustangs coach Chris Hole could see during offseason workouts the junior right-hander was poised to make a big impact this season.
“I felt he could have a breakout year for us,” said Hole. “I could see that he had put a lot more together with his mechanics; he was much more fluid, much more confident.
“When he would throw live to our hitters, he was very, very impressive.”
Velez carried that strong offseason into the regular season, winning a Berks League-leading eight games and helping pitch the Mustangs to a Division I title and the No. 1 seed in both the league and district playoffs.
Velez has been selected as the inaugural MikeDragoSports.com Pitcher of the Year, an award sponsored by Utilities Employees Credit Union.
Velez went 8-0 with a pair of saves in 12 appearances, with nine starts. He earned wins in some of the Mustangs’ biggest games of the season: against Wilson, Exeter, Muhlenberg and Hempfield, in the District 3 Class 6A Tournament.
Velez pitched a three-hitter, with 10 strikeouts, in a tone-setting 3-1 win over rival Wilson early in the season and allowed four hits over five innings in a midseason showdown vs. Muhlenberg, which was unbeaten at the time. He earned saves in a 2-1 win over Boyertown and a 9-7 win over Garden Spot.
“He has the mentality (that) he wants the ball in big moments, in big games, and that’s something you can’t coach,” Hole said. “We were dealing with someone who was going to take the ball and give us a great chance to win every time out.”
Velez pitched a team-leading 50 innings, striking out 64, fourth-most in the league. He compiled a 1.54 ERA. He said improved command led to his breakout season.
“I was able to locate my pitches (better this season),” he said, “hit spots and get my curveball and change-up working.”
Velez gained confidence pitching successfully last summer with Reading’s American Legion team and with the Berks County Bulls. He said Bulls pitching coach Joe Harris helped by emphasizing the importance of location over velocity.
“I was very, very impressed with him on the mound,” Hole said. “When he commands the zone, there’s no one better. He gets himself in trouble sometimes with his control issues but when he’s able to hone in, he is real tough to beat. With his velocity, and when he can throw both of his breaking pitches for strikes, he is very tough out there.”
Velez was equally good with the bat. He batted .453, second-best in the league, led the league with 32 RBIs and scored 21 runs. He finished among the league’s top 10 hitters in both on-base percentage (.505) and slugging percentage (.640). He had a team-high 10 doubles and led the team with four sacrifice flys.
He started at third base when he was not on the mound.
“He had a monster year for us,” said Hole. “He was definitely one of the best two-way players in the league with what he did.”
Pitcher of the Year finalists
- Parker Nein, Berks Catholic
- Deven Sheerin, Exeter
- Tyler Minick, Gov. Mifflin
- Tristan Baer, Hamburg
- Grant Fitzgerald, Kutztown
- Brad Coley, Muhlenberg
- Luke Macdonald, Oley Valley
- Rueben Livingston, Wilson
The MikeDragoSports.com Player of the Year, also sponsored by Utilities Employees Credit Union, will be announced Wednesday.
