Former Navigator Brian Van Belle Makes MLB Debut

LYNN, Mass. 一 Former North Shore Navigators pitcher Brian Van Belle made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut for the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, becoming the organization's sixth all-time alum to reach the highest level in the sport.

A Pembroke Pines, Fla., native who began his professional career signing with the Boston Red Sox as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Van Belle closed the Rays' 7-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in his milestone outing. He struck out two in 2.1 innings of one-run ball.

Van Belle was pitching at Broward College at the time he was a Navigator in 2017, marking one of the first steps of his incredible baseball journey. Taking the mound for the first time after injury sidelined him for two consecutive college seasons, he started three of the five games in which he appeared and struck out 13 across 14.2 innings for North Shore. 

The right-hander's summer set the table for his official college debut the following spring. He went on to help Broward win the Southern Conference championship in 2018 before transferring to a powerhouse program in the University of Miami. 

With the Hurricanes, Van Belle's career began to take off.

Going from newcomer to Friday night starter by season's end in 2019, he posted a 3.30 ERA while becoming the first Miami pitcher in three years to win 10 games. 

Van Belle was one of the best pitchers in all of college baseball during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, going 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 26.1 innings en route to earning Collegiate Baseball All-America and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Pitcher of the Month honors. 

With the MLB Draft shortened and minor league action halted in 2020, Van Belle officially began his Red Sox organizational climb with the Greenville Drive the following year and reached the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs by 2022. In 2023, he led all Red Sox minor leaguers in wins (11) and innings pitched (141.1) while getting his first taste of the Triple-A Worcester. 

Van Belle began to see more relief work in 2024, finishing the season with an 8-2 record and 4.42 ERA in 30 appearances (nine starts) to help cement a MLB Spring Training invite for the first time in his career. 

Injuries in the Red Sox organization forced Van Belle back into a primary starting role this season, as he was 5-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 12 games for the WooSox. His first call to the majors came on June 9, but he never appeared in a game for Boston before being designated for assignment and traded to the Cincinnati Reds on June 14. He was then dealt to the Rays on July 30.

At the time of his promotion, Van Belle led the Triple-A International League with nine wins and had a 3.17 ERA in 22 appearances (18 starts) this season. He won each of his three starts with the Durham Bulls in the Rays organization.

Van Belle is the second North Shore product on an active MLB roster, joining Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick. The Lexington native and former Boston College star earned National League Gold Glove honors in his first full MLB season in 2024.

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