In April the Miami Marlins traded shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya to the Houston Astros and in return received right-handed pitcher Valente Bellozo and cash considerations. Bellozo had been with the Astros organization since he first signed with them in 2017. Due to the seven starting pitchers on the injured list for the Marlins, the 24-year-old was called up on Wednesday to make his major-league debut against the Kansas City Royals. The righty went scoreless through five innings, only allowing two hits.
Marlins prospect Valente Bellozo from Mexicali, Mexico had a STELLAR big league debut on the mound today 🇲🇽
5.0 IP
2 H
0 ER
0 BB
2 Kpic.twitter.com/AMmNWArQhI— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) June 26, 2024
Marlins Prospect Valente Bellozo Begins MLB Career
At 17 years old, Bellozo signed as an international amateur free agent out of Mexico with the Astros. In 2018, he first played in the Dominican Summer League where he excelled. Bellezo posted a 1.74 ERA and a 0.871 WHIP in 51 2/3 innings pitched. The following year in the minors (Short Season-A/Low-A) he had pretty much the same results. He earned a 1.70 ERA and a 0.806 WHIP in 58 1/3 innings pitched. During the 2022 season in Low-A, his ERA increased to 2.59 and his WHIP was 1.17 in 48 2/3 innings pitched.
During the 2023 season, Bellozo started moving up the ranks and facing stiff competition along with an increase in his workload. Unfortunately, he struggled with these various changes. That year, his ERA and WHIP both jumped to 5.55 and 1.332 respectively. As mentioned before these troubles are in due part to the elevated bats he was facing and he doubled his workload that year pitching a total of 110 1/3 innings. Despite encountering issues, he still managed to rank second among Astros minor league pitchers in BB/9 (2.61) and third in SO/BB ratio (3.31).
Since joining the Marlins for the 2024 season, Bellozo started his time at Double-A with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in six starts. These numbers earned him a promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville. Here his ERA increased to 5.66, but he allowed fewer than two runs in each of his three most recent outings.
The right-hander utilizes four different types of pitches, a sinker, a four-seam fastball, a slider, and a curveball and changeup. His ability to mix and sequence pitches, and throw any pitch in any count, compensates for his lack of velocity.
Marlins Manager Skip Schumaker Talks About Bellozo’s Debut
“It’s one start in the big leagues — but an impressive start — so that’s the good news,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “Confident, he was not scared on the mound. Felt like he could keep going. He had all his pitches working for him, and he didn’t hurt himself, which is the No. 1 thing as a rookie, is not walking guys and letting your defense play behind you. And he did exactly that, and I thought Nick Fortes did a good job with him as well.”
Despite the team’s eventual loss, his performance was a bright spot, throwing five scoreless innings and effectively navigating through Kansas City’s lineup. His ability to command the mound and keep hitters off balance underscored his potential as a future cornerstone in the Marlins’ rotation.
While the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead after Bellozo’s departure, his debut highlighted his readiness and ability to compete at the highest level. Moving forward, his development and consistency will be key factors for the Marlins. Staying healthy and adjusting to the rigors of a full major league season will be crucial for Bellozo as he aims to establish himself as a reliable starter.
Photo Credit: © William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
