Brayan Bello

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #5 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Bello signed with the Red Sox for just $28,000 as a slender 17-year-old with a whippy arm during the 2016 international signing period. He progressively filled out as he matured and made his largest strength gains during the 2020 coronavirus shutdown, resulting in a significant uptick in velocity and stuff once minor league play resumed in 2021. Armed with newfound velocity, Bello’s strikeout rate jumped more than 10% as he rose from High-A to Double-A and earned a selection to the Futures Game.
  
  Scouting Report: Bello’s athleticism produces a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently attack the strike zone with his three-pitch mix. His fastball velocity improved from the low 90s before the shutdown to now sitting comfortably in the mid 90s and touching 98 mph. Bello’s long arm path allows hitters to get a good read on his fastball, however, and its lack of movement means he has to command it to ensure its effectiveness. When he locates his fastball up in the zone, his changeup falls off of it as a plus offering, while his improving slider increasingly projects to be an above-average offering. He is in the process of developing a two-seamer to create a more complete pitch mix. Bello pounds the strike zone with above-average control and has limited his walks at every level.
  
  The Future: Bello is likely to progress to Triple-A during the 2022 season and could emerge as a big league rotation option by the end of the year. He has mid-rotation potential as long as he maintains his velocity jump and improves his fastball command.
  
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #20 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Bello built on a dominant pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 with a strong spring in 2019, convincing the Red Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season. He struggled through the first three months of 2019 before a breakthrough fueled by both a greater willingness to attack the strike zone and improved command over his last 10 starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello's fastball sat at 94-95 mph and topped at 98 at instructional league in 2020, but a long arm path creates problems with deception and command. His continually improving velocity gives his fastball a chance to reach above-average if his command improves. His changeup is average with the potential to be better than that, while his mid-80s slider—a pitch he honed at instructs—could go from average to plus. He's prone to being tentative, but he's a good athlete with a quick arm and pitches that suggest enough starter potential to make him a popular ask in trade proposals.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello should start in high Class A. He has the absolute ceiling of a No. 4 starter.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #16 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Unlike most Latin players, Bello was already 18 years old when he signed. He has moved quickly due in part to his age, building on a dominant pro debut in the DSL in 2018 with a strong spring that convinced the Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello has a medium build with a live, wiry body with room to fill out. He has a loose, whippy arm. Lacking present core strength, Bello does not always repeat his direction and finish though he only needs minor adjustments. Bello's biggest challenge in 2019 came after a solid April, when he was getting hit hard and making too many mistakes in the zone. After a rough two months, Bello adjusted his approach both in and out of the zone, resulting in better command of at-bats. Bello's fastball sits at 94-95 mph, mixed with a solid mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup with depth which each project as plus. The length of Bello's delivery will make creating deception an issue moving forward.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello will likely start next year at high Class A Salem, and if he cements his second-half improvements of 2019 he could reach the upper levels as a pitcher with a backend starter's ceiling.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 60/High
  
  Track Record: Bello signed with the Red Sox for just $28,000 as a slender 17-year-old with a whippy arm during the 2016 international signing period. He progressively filled out as he matured and made his largest strength gains during the 2020 coronavirus shutdown, resulting in a significant uptick in velocity and stuff once minor league play resumed in 2021. Armed with newfound velocity, Bello&#39s strikeout rate jumped more than 10% as he rose from High-A to Double-A and earned a selection to the Futures Game.
  
  Scouting Report: Bello&#39s athleticism produces a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently attack the strike zone with his three-pitch mix. His fastball velocity improved from the low-90s before the shutdown to now sitting comfortably in the mid-90s and touching 98 mph. Bello&#39s long arm path allows hitters to get a good read on his fastball, however, and its lack of movement means he has to command it to ensure its effectiveness. When he locates his fastball up in the zone, his changeup falls off of it as a plus offering, while his improving slider increasingly projects to be an above-average offering. He is in the process of developing a two-seamer to create a more complete pitch mix. Bello pounds the strike zone with above-average control and has limited his walks at every level.
  
  The Future: Bello is likely to progress to Triple-A during the 2022 season and could emerge as a big-league rotation option by the end of the year. He has mid-rotation potential as long as he maintains his velocity jump and improves his fastball command.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 50.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Bello signed with the Red Sox for just $28,000 as a slender 17-year-old with a whippy arm during the 2016 international signing period. He progressively filled out as he matured and made his largest strength gains during the 2020 coronavirus shutdown, resulting in a significant uptick in velocity and stuff once minor league play resumed in 2021. Armed with newfound velocity, Bello’s strikeout rate jumped more than 10% as he rose from High-A to Double-A and earned a selection to the Futures Game.
  
  Scouting Report: Bello’s athleticism produces a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently attack the strike zone with his three-pitch mix. His fastball velocity improved from the low 90s before the shutdown to now sitting comfortably in the mid 90s and touching 98 mph. Bello’s long arm path allows hitters to get a good read on his fastball, however, and its lack of movement means he has to command it to ensure its effectiveness. When he locates his fastball up in the zone, his changeup falls off of it as a plus offering, while his improving slider increasingly projects to be an above-average offering. He is in the process of developing a two-seamer to create a more complete pitch mix. Bello pounds the strike zone with above-average control and has limited his walks at every level.
  
  The Future: Bello is likely to progress to Triple-A during the 2022 season and could emerge as a big league rotation option by the end of the year. He has mid-rotation potential as long as he maintains his velocity jump and improves his fastball command.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bello built on a dominant pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 with a strong spring in 2019, convincing the Red Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season. He struggled through the first three months of 2019 before a breakthrough fueled by both a greater willingness to attack the strike zone and improved command over his last 10 starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello's fastball sat at 94-95 mph and topped at 98 at instructional league in 2020, but a long arm path creates problems with deception and command. His continually improving velocity gives his fastball a chance to reach above-average if his command improves. His changeup is average with the potential to be better than that, while his mid-80s slider—a pitch he honed at instructs—could go from average to plus. He's prone to being tentative, but he's a good athlete with a quick arm and pitches that suggest enough starter potential to make him a popular ask in trade proposals.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello should start in high Class A. He has the absolute ceiling of a No. 4 starter.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bello built on a dominant pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 with a strong spring in 2019, convincing the Red Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season. He struggled through the first three months of 2019 before a breakthrough fueled by both a greater willingness to attack the strike zone and improved command over his last 10 starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello's fastball sat at 94-95 mph and topped at 98 at instructional league in 2020, but a long arm path creates problems with deception and command. His continually improving velocity gives his fastball a chance to reach above-average if his command improves. His changeup is average with the potential to be better than that, while his mid-80s slider—a pitch he honed at instructs—could go from average to plus. He's prone to being tentative, but he's a good athlete with a quick arm and pitches that suggest enough starter potential to make him a popular ask in trade proposals.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello should start in high Class A. He has the absolute ceiling of a No. 4 starter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bello built on a dominant pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 with a strong spring in 2019, convincing the Red Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season. He struggled through the first three months of 2019 before a breakthrough fueled by both a greater willingness to attack the strike zone and improved command over his last 10 starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello's fastball sat at 94-95 mph and topped at 98 at instructional league in 2020, but a long arm path creates problems with deception and command. His continually improving velocity gives his fastball a chance to reach above-average if his command improves. His changeup is average with the potential to be better than that, while his mid-80s slider—a pitch he honed at instructs—could go from average to plus. He's prone to being tentative, but he's a good athlete with a quick arm and pitches that suggest enough starter potential to make him a popular ask in trade proposals.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello should start in high Class A. He has the absolute ceiling of a No. 4 starter.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Unlike most Latin players, Bello was already 18 years old when he signed. He has moved quickly due in part to his age, building on a dominant pro debut in the DSL in 2018 with a strong spring that convinced the Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello has a medium build with a live, wiry body with room to fill out. He has a loose, whippy arm. Lacking present core strength, Bello does not always repeat his direction and finish though he only needs minor adjustments. Bello’s biggest challenge in 2019 came after a solid April, when he was getting hit hard and making too many mistakes in the zone. After a rough two months, Bello adjusted his approach both in and out of the zone, resulting in better command of at-bats. Bello’s fastball sits at 94-95 mph, mixed with a solid mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup with depth which each project as plus. The length of Bello’s delivery will make creating deception an issue moving forward.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello will likely start next year at high Class A Salem, and if he cements his second-half improvements of 2019 he could reach the upper levels as a pitcher with a backend starter’s ceiling. BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 50 Risk: Very High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Unlike most Latin players, Bello was already 18 years old when he signed. He has moved quickly due in part to his age, building on a dominant pro debut in the DSL in 2018 with a strong spring that convinced the Sox to push him to low Class A Greenville in his age-20 season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bello has a medium build with a live, wiry body with room to fill out. He has a loose, whippy arm. Lacking present core strength, Bello does not always repeat his direction and finish though he only needs minor adjustments. Bello's biggest challenge in 2019 came after a solid April, when he was getting hit hard and making too many mistakes in the zone. After a rough two months, Bello adjusted his approach both in and out of the zone, resulting in better command of at-bats. Bello's fastball sits at 94-95 mph, mixed with a solid mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup with depth which each project as plus. The length of Bello's delivery will make creating deception an issue moving forward.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bello will likely start next year at high Class A Salem, and if he cements his second-half improvements of 2019 he could reach the upper levels as a pitcher with a backend starter's ceiling.