Former Jumbo Shrimp Bellozo debuts for Marlins

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp right-hander Valente Bellozo made his major league debut Wednesday afternoon for the Miami Marlins against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Bellozo started the game for the Marlins and threw five scoreless frames, yielding just two hits and striking out two. He was lifted in the bottom of the sixth inning for reliever Anthony Bender.

A native of Mexicali, Mexico, Bellozo began the year in the Houston Astros’ organization but was traded to the Marlins on April 6 in exchange for INF Jacob Amaya. After making six starts for Double-A Pensacola, he was transferred to Jacksonville on May 21. In his final three outings with Jacksonville prior to his promotion to Miami, Bellozo tossed 14.0 combined innings while allowing four runs, three earned, for a 2.57 ERA. He struck out 13 batters while issuing only a single free pass.

After signing as a non-drafted free agent in July 2017 with Houston, he started his career with the DSL Astros in 2018. That season, Bellozo made 14 appearances, eight being starts. In 51.2 innings, he allowed 11 runs, 10 earned for a 1.74 ERA. He yielded 29 hits while striking out 42 against 16 walks.

His first professional U.S. season came in 2019, splitting time between Houston’s former Short Season-A affiliate Tri-City ValleyCats and Low-A Quad Cities River Bandits. Between both levels, Bellozo posted a 6-1 record with a 1.70 ERA. Opponents posted a .175 batting average against the right-hander while striking out 69 times against just 12 walks.

After not pitching in 2020 due to the pandemic or in 2021 due to injury, Bellozo made a few rehab starts for the FCL Astros before being assigned to Low-A Fayetteville in 2022. With the Woodpeckers, he only made 10 appearances, five being starts. In 41.2 innings, the righty posted a 3-2 record, allowing 10 runs, eight earned for a 1.73 ERA. He struck out 43 batters, walking just 17 and held opponents to a .193 batting average.

He split 2023 with High-A Asheville and Double-A Corpus Christi. Between both levels, he went 3-4 with a 5.55 ERA in 26 appearances, 16 starts. In 110.1 innings, he allowed 73 runs, 68 earned runs while yielding 115 hits. The right-hander tallied 106 punch outs and walked 32 batters.

Bellozo is the sixth Jumbo Shrimp alumnus this season to make his major league debut, following catcher Jhonny Pereda (April 17, Marlins) and right-handers Roddery Muñoz (April 20, Marlins), Anthony Maldonado (April 24, Marlins), Emmanuel Ramírez (April 28, Marlins) and Eli Villalobos (May 5, Marlins).

ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The team calls 121 Financial Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.