'I’m up to the challenge' - Red Sox top pitching prospect Brayan Bello arrives in Worcester

WORCESTER — Brayan Bello’s mound presence and confidence could take him a long way. 

The top pitching prospect in the Boston Red Sox organization arrived in Worcester Tuesday and will make his Triple-A debut for the WooSox against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders Wednesday at Polar Park.

“I’ve been working really hard for this opportunity,” Bello said with the help of WooSox bench coach Jose Flores, who served as interpreter. “I’m really glad the call finally came with the good news. I’m up to the challenge.”

MORE: Triston Casas (ankle) comes out of game for WooSox, who break out of 10-game skid

There’s a lot to like about the right-hander, and it goes beyond his impressive numbers. Let’s start with the stats: The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder posted a 4-2 record with a 1.60 ERA in six starts for the Sea Dogs. In 33⅔ innings, he recorded 42 strikeouts and only 12 walks. He also tossed a seven-inning no-hitter on May 5. He has held opponents to a .138 batting average.

The Red Sox acquired the Dominican native as an international free agent in July 2017, and he was added to Boston’s 40-man roster last November.

Confidence?

The kid is loaded with it in a good way. Bello has been compared to Red Sox great and Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez. While Bello appreciates the comparison, the hard-throwing righty wants to blaze his own path and career.

“I look up to Pedro, but in the end, it’s all up to me to do whatever it takes to get to the next level,” Bello said. “Pedro is one of my idols, but eventually I would like to be better than him.”

Even though Bello and Martinez have built an important relationship, the two haven’t talk too often during the season. However, Martinez did call Bello a couple of days after he tossed the no-hitter in Portland.

“That was an awesome experience talking to him,” Bello said. “I’m looking forward to hearing from him again.”

The current WooSox players, who were teammates with Bello in Portland, admit he’s a great teammate and a blast to have in the clubhouse. It’s also understandable that WooSox manager Chad Tracy is eager to watch Bello toe the rubber at Polar Park.

Bello’s fastball is electric. His delivery appears effortless, and he can reach 95-96 mph on a consistent basis. It’s also not unusual for him to hit 99 on the gun. His changeup had been a work in progress, but now it complements his fastball, which is a potent combination of pitches. He mixes in his slider while continuing to hone that pitch.

Bello spent his first day in Worcester getting used to his new environment. He tossed a brief bullpen, ran some sprints and spent some time with the coaching staff.

“My hope is, and I told him, just be yourself,” Tracy said. “Don’t try to do more than what you’ve already been doing, but I’m pretty excited to watch him pitch. I’ve read the reports, and I’ve seen it, so we know there’s going to be some velocity there, but with kids coming up, you can’t expect them to come up and be a savior.”

Tracy explained to Bello the typical ebbs and flows young players deal with at this level, so the manager told the prospect: “It’s baseball, just like it was in Portland.”

As he prepares for his Triple-A debut, Bello said he’s trying to keep his emotions in check.

“When I go to bed at night, I usually pray and thank God everything is going well,” Bello said. “I hope to continue to do that, take it day by day and hopefully do the things I’ve been doing at Portland.”

The fact that Tuesday was his 23rd birthday, it made his promotion even better. 

“One of my goals was to actually be called up, and for it to happen during my birthday means a lot," he said. :I’m really happy it happened on my birthday."