Vanderbilt infielder Ray Velazquez enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Vanderbilt infielder Ray Velazquez has decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal following the end of the Commodores’ 2024 season, On3’s Pete Nakos has learned.

Velazquez didn’t see the field a whole lot as a freshman in 2023, but he did get to the plate for one at bat against Gonzaga back in February as a sophomore. Now, he’ll seek a new home for his junior and senior seasons.

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On his Vanderbilt Athletics bio page, head Vandy coach Tim Corbin had the following to share on Velzquez:

“When you learn about Ray’s route to Vanderbilt, you immediately want to root for him. He methodically pursued getting to Nashville since his younger years. In a day where young men abandon situations when life gets tough, Ray moves in the opposite direction. He’s a gritty, tough, take-a-punch 60’s kid. His growth mentally, physically and emotionally, is what good stories are about. He has gone from non-roster to ‘I’m going to get on the field one day.’ He is versatile in the infield, and his offensive abilities have shot up.”

Good news for whichever schools Velazquez ends up at next! As for his accomplishments pre-Vandy and in Nashville, his bio page also had a nice little list of relevant notes.

Take a look at what the Vanderbilt Athletics website calls “The Velazquez File.”

• Attended St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.)
• No. 5 overall prospect and No. 2 first baseman out of Massachusetts according to Perfect Game
• 2022 Perfect Game Preseason All-Northeast Region first team
• Named team captain 2019-22
• Two-time all-conference selection
• 2020 Rawlings/Perfect Game All-America
• Helped lead team to 2018-18 Super 8 MIAA appearance
• Has three brothers, Edgar, Bryan and Christian
• Full name is Raymond Abdiel Velazquez
• Hobbies include playing piano and watching the Celtics

Well, he must have enjoyed a pretty darn good Monday night as a Celtics fan, watching the franchise reclaim the lead in NBA championships with their 18th to cap off the 2024 hoops season, dominating the Dallas Mavericks in five games to win the Finals.

Vanderbilt also lost another infielder recently, Matt Ossenfort, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. Ossenfort only spent one season with the Commodores.

In his lone season with the program, Ossenfort made six appearances. In his 11 at-bats, Ossenfort recorded two hits, one of which was a home run. He also recorded one walk.