UECU Player of the Week: Alexander Velez of Gov. Mifflin
The reigning Berks Pitcher of the Year is a pretty good hitter, also.
Alexander Velez had key hits in each of Gov. Mifflin’s wins last week to earn Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of the Week honors for the first time this season.
The senior first baseman had a triple and three RBIs in a 9-2 win over Daniel Bone and went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs in a 3-1 win over Muhlenberg.
“Xander’s hit in the heart of our lineup the last two seasons, and he does a great job,” said Mifflin coach Chris Hole. “He’s a guy that has experience and often is able to come up clutch for us.”
In a deep lineup filled with hitters having outstanding seasons Velez is often overlooked. That’s a mistake.
He has a .472 slugging percentage, a .972 OPS and is at his best in clutch situations. His .429 batting average with runners in scoring position is second-best on the team.
That’s why Hole has him batting in the No. 3 hole, behind Tyler Minick and Bryce Detwiler.
Not that he couldn’t bat leadoff. He has a keen eye and strike zone discipline, with more walks (seven) than strikeouts (five). He has a .500 on-base percentage.
“(That’s) one of his biggest attributes,” Hole said. “Even when he’s not hitting the ball he’s finding ways to get on base, which is totally different than when he was as a sophomore. He’s become much more of a complete hitter.”
The senior right-hander is 3-0 in three starts, with an 0.57 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings.
He was the league’s best pitcher last season, winning a Berks League-leading eight games and helping pitch the Mustangs to a Division I title. He was been selected as the inaugural MikeDragoSports.com Pitcher of the Year, an award sponsored by Utilities Employees Credit Union.
He went 8-0 with a pair of saves in 12 appearances, including 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.
Velez pitched a team-leading 50 innings, striking out 64, fourth-most in the league. He compiled a 1.54 ERA.
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 flies.
This is Velez’s first Player of the Week selection this season, and the third for the Mustangs. Detwiler was selected twice. Players considered for Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
Also considered for Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of the Week:
- Denny Rodriguez, Berks Catholic
- Evan Rittle, Conrad Weiser
- Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Dom Pizzelanti, Kutztown
- Paul Petersen, Oley Valley
- Caden Kline, Schuylkill Valley
Selected as Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of the Week this season:
- April 3: Bryce Detwiler, Gov. Mifflin
- pril 10: Alex Kelsey, Exeter
- April 17: Bryce Detwiler, Gov. Mifflin
- April 24: Joe Crist, Brandywine Heights
- May 1: Alexander Velez, Gov. Mifflin
Selected as Utilities Employees Credit Union Player of the Week last season:
- April 4: Kevin Lawlor, Berks Catholic
- April 11: Conner Licklider, Hamburg
- April 18: Luke Weller, Exeter
- April 25: Tyler Minick, Gov. Mifflin
- May 2: Tyler Minick, Gov. Mifflin
- May 9: Luke Weller, Exeter
- May 16: Kenay Rodriguez, Muhlenberg
- May 23: Cam Burr, Muhlenberg
