Bello may be most hyped Sox pitcher to debut since Buchholz

Jul. 6—It's been a while since we've seen a debut like this.

Over the past year Brayan Bello has flown up through the ranks to become one of the Red Sox most hyped pitching prospects in recent memory. Last year the 6-foot-1 right-hander was named the organization's Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year, and since the new season began he's mowed down the competition at both Double-A and Triple-A to establish himself as a Top 50 prospect in the game.

Now the big day has finally come, as Bello will make his long-awaited MLB debut Wednesday at age 23.

Originally signed for just $28,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Bello's profile bears a superficial resemblance to his mentor Pedro Martinez. He's not physically imposing but boasts a fastball that touches 100 mph, a devastating changeup and a quality slider that has made him a nightmare for opposing hitters in the minor leagues.

Just look at the numbers. Early in the year he posted a 1.60 ERA with 42 strikeouts against 12 walks over 33.2 innings with the Portland Sea Dogs, and since being promoted to Worcester he hasn't missed a beat, posting a 2.81 ERA with 72 strikeouts against 12 walks over 51.1 innings.

No wonder the Red Sox dugout was crammed with TV cameras when Bello spoke to the media on Tuesday.

How unique is Bello? The popular and always informative @RedSoxStats Twitter account effectively captured the moment by noting that since 2000 only 20 pitchers age 23 or younger have appeared in a game for the Red Sox. Few had anywhere near the level of acclaim or hype as Bello, and the most recent who went on to enjoy long-term success with the club — Eduardo Rodriguez — was a trade acquisition and not really a homegrown player at all.

You have to go all the way back to Clay Buchholz in 2007 before you find anyone quite like Bello.

Say what you will about Buchholz, who became a divisive figure by the end of his tenure, but there's no question he arrived with massive expectations and did go on to pitch 10 seasons in Boston. It he also threw a no-hitter in his second career start, which helped heighten expectations to levels he couldn't always able to live up to throughout his career.

Perhaps aware of the hype surrounding Bello, Red Sox manager Alex Cora took a page out of the Aaron Rodgers playbook Tuesday and urged fans to take a deep breath and relax.

"I know we get excited about the player, especially in this region, you put the kids way up there, but let's chill tomorrow and let him enjoy it," Cora said. "Whatever happens, happens. This kid is going to be a big part of this organization for a long long time but tomorrow is about going out there and being a big leaguer.

"If being a big leaguer is going five and no runs, so be it. If it's three and he gives up seven, so be it too," he continued. "Just like I told Kutter [Crawford] last year and [Josh Winckowski] early on, you work so hard to get here and one day here you're a big leaguer regardless of what people think. Let's enjoy it and see where it takes us."

No matter what his future holds, there's no doubt Bello's debut is an exciting day for the organization. For his part, Bello called reaching the big leagues a dream come true, but he believes he's put in the work and will be ready when 7:10 p.m. comes.

"I'm really happy to get the opportunity to make my MLB debut here at Fenway in front of all the fans," Bello said via translator Carlos Villoria Benítez. "I've worked really hard for this moment to be here and I'm excited and ready to go."

Email: mcerullo@northofboston.com. Twitter: @MacCerullo.