Ralphy Velasquez, Adrian Beltre recreate photo

ARLINGTON, Texas – Ralphy Velasquez arrived at Globe Life Field on Saturday morning with a special picture he was eager to replicate. The Cleveland Guardians’ prospect approached Rangers legend Adrian Beltre in the All-Star Futures Game to reintroduce himself.

Velasquez was somewhere between six or eight years old, depending who you ask, when he had last encountered Beltre at Big League Dreams, a baseball field in Chino Hills, Calif. Ralphy’s dad Armando thinks Ralphy was eight years old at the time. Ralphy thinks he was six or perhaps even.

This much is certain, though, Beltre agreed to take a picture with the little boy who is now a big time prospect. On that afternoon more than a decade ago, Armando Velasquez spotted Beltre and encouraged his little boy to ask if they could take a picture together. 

Another memorable picture

Beltre, who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame next Sunday, obliged. Ralphy didn’t need anybody to spot Beltre for him Saturday in the home clubhouse at Globe Life Field hours before the Futures Game. He walked up to Beltre, introduced himself, showed him the picture on his smartphone and asked to recreate it.

”He’s like, ‘Wow. It’s crazy. A long time ago.’” Velasquez said.

Beltre obliged Ralphy Velasquez yet again. Only this time, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Velasquez towered over the 5-foot-11 member of baseball’s exclusive 3,000-hit club. 

“He’s a really cool guy,” Velasquez said of Beltre. “He took the picture, and now I’m here. Now he’s my coach. We took another one.”

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For Ralphy Velasquez these days, the words “Big League Dreams” mean more than the name of the field where he first met Beltre. He was one of 23 first-round picks on the Future Game rosters. 

Velasquez, 19, was selected by the Guardians last July with the 23rd pick of the first round in the MLB June Amateur Draft out of Huntington Beach (Calif.) High. He hit .348 (7-for-23) with two home runs last season in his professional debut in the Arizona Complex League.

Ralphy Velasquez slugs away

Velasquez has nine home runs and 46 RBIs with a triple and 20 doubles over 71 games at Class A Lynchburg of the Carolina League. The first baseman/left fielder was one of the youngest players at the Futures Game.

Ralphy’s parents Armando and Nicole Velasquez were among 40 family members who attended the Futures Game.

“I keep using the word surreal,” Armando Velasquez said. “Growing up we always watched these games, the draft, the All-Star Game, Futures Game. “Now my son is here partaking in this event, it’s so surreal just to be here with him and all my family sharing this moment.”

With men on first and second baseball and one out in the fourth inning, Beltre sent Velazquez to pinch hit with the AL trailing 4-1. He drew a walk on four pitches to load the bases.

At his current pace, it won’t be surprising to see Velasquez as a major leaguer within two or three years granting pictures for young fans.