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.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 50.
