Unknown Red Sox Fireballer Making Name For Himself In Minors Thanks In Part To All-Star

Boston certainly should like what it's seeing from one of its prospects

One young Boston Red Sox fireballer is heating up in the minor leagues. 

Little-known prospect Bradley Blalock was drafted by Boston in the 32nd round of the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft and has had a roller coaster of a professional career so far. Blalock made his professional debut in 2019 as an 18-year-old with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox but then was unable to pitch at the professional level in 2020 due to the minor leagues being shut down due to COVID-19.

Blalock returned to the field in 2021 with the High-A Salem Red Sox and compiled a 4.27 ERA across 23 starts but missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old is back on the field this season with Salem and has shined thanks to an uptick in his velocity as well as a little indirect help from All-Star pitcher Kevin Gausman, according to a conversation between MassLive.com's Christopher Smith and Blalock.

“It’s kind of a changeup but not really,” Blalock said to Smith. “Last year, when I started playing catch, I knew my changeup was definitely my worst pitch. So I went to one of our pitching coordinators and our analytics guys. I was like, ‘Hey, what do you all think about changing it to the (Kevin) Gausman split-change?’

“Before I even started throwing last year, I had a ball in my hand getting used to the grip just standing there watching other guys throw while I was not able to,” Blalock said. “I had a ball and I was kind of getting used to that grip. So I think that kind of helped. And I watched some YouTube videos and just watched how he (Gausman) threw it.”

Blalock's change to his pitch selection certainly has paid off and so far this season he has compiled a 1.38 ERA across three starts for Salem. The 22-year-old has allowed just two earned runs so far in 13 innings pitched. There's no way to know what Blalock's future will hold in the Boston organization, but if he can keep up this level of play, he could find himself being promoted at some point. 

The 22-year-old already has dealt with plenty of adversity in his young career, but it looks like he may be taking a step forward and his new pitch certainly has helped.

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