The Richmond Flying Squirrels announced the recipients of their 2025 team awards in a pregame ceremony on Sunday afternoon before the final game at The Diamond. Victor Bericoto was named Player of the Year and John Michael Bertrand won his second consecutive Pitcher of the Year award.
Additionally, Diego Velasquez was named the Puritan Cleaners “Dirty Squirrel” of the Year and Bertrand was the recipient of the team’s Community Service Award for the second time.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – VICTOR BERICOTO
Playing his third season with the Flying Squirrels, Bericoto finished the year 10th in the Eastern League in batting average (.267) and slugging percentage (.433), leading the team in both categories. He also led the Flying Squirrels in home runs (12), RBIs (49), OPS (.784), extra-base hits (30) and total bases (149). He closed the season second on the team in OBP (.351), hits (92) and runs (43).
Bericoto was one of the league’s top hitters from August 1 through the end of the season, batting .338 (48-for-142) with four homers, five doubles, two triples, 17 walks and 23 RBIs in his final 39 games.
“It’s really awesome to see where he is at right now,” Flying Squirrels manager Dennis Pelfreysaid before Sunday’s finale. “Every at-bat is pretty electric. If you’re sitting in the stands and you see him come to the plate, you feel like something good is going to happen.”
Since first joining the team for the final two months of the 2023 season, Bericoto has hit 34 home runs, which ranks second in Flying Squirrels history. He is also second in club history with 140 RBIs. A native of Maracay, Venezuela, Bericoto signed with the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent in 2018.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR – JOHN MICHAEL BERTRAND
Bertrand was the first Richmond pitcher in nine years to win the Eastern League’s ERA title, posting a 2.87 mark in his 25 starts this season. He also ranked third in the league in innings pitched (131.2), fifth in BAA (.249) and seventh in WHIP (1.31).
In his final 10 starts, Bertrand went 4-3 with a 1.68 ERA (10 ER/53.2 IP) from July 4-September 6. He was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento last Wednesday. He has made 63 starts in his Flying Squirrels career, which is second-most in franchise history. Bertrand also leads all MiLB pitchers with 41 double-play groundouts induced since the start of the 2024 season.
“Every single day, he gives us a chance to win,” Pelfrey said. “When John Michael is taking the mound, you always feel like you have a really good chance to win the game. The things he does on a daily basis, the work he puts in, the attention to detail for his plan of attack before the game, all those things just show the type of pro he is.”
Bertrand, who was born in Raleigh, N.C. and grew up in Alpharetta, Ga., was selected by the Giants in the 10th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University Notre Dame. He joined Jack Snodgrass (2013-2014) as the only player to win the team’s Pitcher of the Year award in consecutive seasons.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD – JOHN MICHAEL BERTRAND
Bertrand also became the first player in Flying Squirrels history to win the team’s Community Service Award in back-to-back years. Throughout the season, Bertrand coached baseball camps, made several visits to the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, gave back to Flying Squirrels Charities and attended several non-profit events. He also fundraised for Uplifting Athletes, which supports children and families impacted by rare disease.
“It’s something that you want in every player that comes through here, that type of dedication to the community,” Pelfrey said. “Because we do get supported very well here in Richmond. He leads by example in that aspect for our guys. It’s a testament to him and his character.”
PURITAN CLEANERS “DIRTY SQUIRREL” OF THE YEAR – DIEGO VELASQUEZ
Every season, Puritan Cleaners sponsors the “Dirty Squirrel” award, a contest among Flying Squirrels players to reward hustle and aggressive play. This season, Velasquez led the Flying Squirrels in stolen bases (19), on-base percentage (.362) and hits (121). He also finished second in the Eastern League with 70 walks, which was the second-most in a season in Flying Squirrels history.
“He’s being more active on the bases, some hustle doubles here and there,” Pelfrey said. “It’s something that, from the Giants’ standpoint, we wanted him to be more active and more athletic on the field. It’s been a pleasure to see him grow into that type of player this season. He’s a competitor, he wants to win and he plays hard.”
Velasquez is from Maracay, Venezuela and is in his second season with Richmond. He signed with the Giants as an international free agent in 2021.
Additionally, the Flying Squirrels recognizedAdrián Sugastey before the game on Sunday, who set a single-season record with 50 runners caught stealing, leading all Double-A catchers. He passed the previous mark of 35 set by Jackson Williams in 2015, which helped the Flying Squirrels lead all Double-A teams with 74 caught stealing on the year. Sugastey, who played his second season with Richmond, also passed Williams’ previous record of 59 for the most caught stealing in a Flying Squirrels career, finishing the year with 63.
Sugastey, a native of Panama City, Panama, signed with the Giants as an international free agent in 2019. Prior to this season, he was rated by Baseball America as the organization’s top defensive catcher prospect.
Full-Season Memberships for the Flying Squirrels’ 2026 season at CarMax Park are on sale now. Information is available online at SquirrelsBaseball.com, by phone at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or in person at the Flying Squirrels ticket office at The Diamond.
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