Former Met Infielder: Jorge Velandia (2000-2003)

Jorge Luis Velandia was born on January 12th 1975 in Venezuela. The utility infielder was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1992 & spent five years in the minor leagues. In that time he never hit much, but showed a good glove getting traded over to the Padres organization.

In 1997 he hit a career best .273 & was called up to the Padres for 14 games. He was traded up the coast to the Oakland A’s where he played in a career high 63 games in 1999 batting just .182 stealing two bases.

In September of 2000, he was traded to the New York Mets when Rey Ordonez was lost for the year, to possibly back up Mike Bordick if needed. But Velandia didn’t hit at all.

He appeared in small parts of the 2000 & 2001 seasons going hitless in 16 at bats over a course of 21 games, drawing 4 walks. He was back at AAA Norfolk in 2002 batting just .201with 6 HRs & 37 RBIs.

In 2003 he was called up again & saw the most playing time of his Mets career. In 23 games he posted a .976 fielding % at short making only three errors in 108 chances turning 13 double plays. 

At the plate he was 11-58 good for a .190 average. He also drove in eight runs hitting three doubles.


Velandia was gone from the Mets and out of the big leagues for four seasons, returning with the 2007 Tampa Rays. The next year he finished his eight year career with a .975 fielding% & a .189 batting average with 2 HRs & 23 RBIs.