Bradley Blalock
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Bradley Blalock
|image =
|team = Colorado Rockies
|number = 64
|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|12|25}}
|birth_place = Conyers, Georgia, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = June 20
|debutyear = 2024
|debutteam = Milwaukee Brewers
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = July 12, 2025
|stat1label = Win–loss record
|stat1value = 1–5
|stat2label = Earned run average
|stat2value = 7.57
|stat3label = Strikeouts
|stat3value = 29
|teams =
- Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2024}})
- Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2024}}–present)
}}
Bradley Christopher Blalock (born December 25, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Career
=Boston Red Sox=
Blalock attended Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 32nd round, with the 977th overall selection, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | last=Smith | first=Christopher | title=Red Sox promoting Bradley Blalock (reached 99 mph last week) to Greenville | website=masslive | date=June 19, 2023 | url=https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/06/red-sox-promoting-bradley-blalock-reached-99-mph-last-week-to-greenville.html | access-date=November 6, 2024}} Blalock made his professional debut with the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Red Sox, logging a 6.75 ERA in 4 games (3 starts). He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=July 19, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}}
Blalock spent the 2021 campaign with the Single–A Salem Red Sox, making 23 starts and compiling a 3–6 record and 4.27 ERA with 85 strikeouts over {{fraction|86|1|3}} innings pitched.{{Cite web|title=Bradley Blalock Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/8416-bradley-blalock/stats/|access-date=July 19, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}} He underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2022, and missed the entirety of the season as a result.{{Cite web|title=Red Sox prospect up to 97 mph, allows just 1 hit in return from Tommy John|url=https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/05/red-sox-prospect-up-to-97-mph-allows-just-1-hit-in-return-from-tommy-john.html?outputType=amp|access-date=July 19, 2024|website=masslive.com|language=en}} Blalock began the 2023 season with Salem, and was promoted to the High–A Greenville Drive after four starts. In seven starts for Greenville, he recorded a 5–1 record and 2.55 ERA with 36 strikeouts across {{fraction|35|1|3}} innings pitched.{{Cite web|title=Bradley Blalock - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/bradley-blalock/26419/stats?position=P|access-date=July 19, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}
=Milwaukee Brewers=
On August 1, 2023, the Red Sox traded Blalock to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Luis Urías.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=August 2, 2023 |title=Red Sox trade: Prospect sent to Brewers has reached 99 mph with fastball |url=https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2023/08/red-sox-trade-prospect-sent-to-brewers-has-reached-99-mph-with-fastball.html |access-date=November 16, 2023 |website=masslive |language=en}} He made 4 starts for the High–A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers down the stretch, posting a 5.27 ERA with 17 strikeouts across {{fraction|13|2|3}} innings.{{Cite web|title=Bradley Blalock - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/bradley-blalock/26419/stats?position=P|access-date=July 19, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}} On November 13, the Brewers added Blalock to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web |title=Brewers add prospects Jeferson Quero, Bradley Blalock to 40-man roster |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2023/11/13/milwaukee-brewers-add-prospects-jeferson-quero-bradley-blalock-to-40-man-roster/71566325007/ |access-date=November 16, 2023 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}
He was optioned to the Double–A Biloxi Shuckers to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Brewers' Bradley Blalock: Ticketed to Double-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-bradley-blalock-ticketed-for-double-a/amp/|access-date=March 12, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 7 starts for Biloxi, he recorded a 2.27 ERA with 29 strikeouts across {{fraction|35|2|3}} innings pitched. On May 20, 2024, Blalock was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|title=Brewers Designate Thyago Vieira For Assignment, Promote Bradley Blalock|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/brewers-dfa-thyago-vieira-promote-bradley-blalock-mlb-debut.html|access-date=May 20, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} However, he did not play in a game, and was optioned back to Biloxi on May 24, becoming a phantom ballplayer.{{Cite web|title=Brewers Select Enoli Paredes|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/brewers-to-select-enoli-paredes.html|access-date=May 25, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} On June 19, Blalock was promoted to the major leagues for the second time,{{Cite web|title=Brewers Designate Elieser Hernández For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/brewers-designate-elieser-hernandez-for-assignment.html|access-date=June 19, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} and he made his MLB debut the following day.
=Colorado Rockies=
On July 27, 2024, Blalock and Yujanyer Herrera were traded to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Nick Mears.{{Cite web|title=Brewers To Acquire Nick Mears From Rockies|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/brewers-to-acquire-nick-mears-from-rockies.html|access-date=July 27, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}
Blalock made his Rockies debut on August 12, 2024, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Over 5.2 innings, he gave up six hits, three for runs, and struck out four.
On August 24, Blalock earned his first career win against the eventual 2024 American League champion New York Yankees.
Through the remainder of the 2024 season, Blalock made six appearances, finishing the season with a 5.87 ERA in 30.2 IP.
Pitch arsenal
Blacklock has a five-pitch mix: four-seam fastball, slider, splitter, curveball, and cutter.{{Cite web |title=Bradley Blalock Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/bradley-blalock-687134?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=baseballsavant.com |language=en-US}} In 2024, he relied primarily on his four-seamer, using his splitter as a put-away pitch, modeled after Kevin Gausman’s split-change.{{Cite web |last=Dechert |first=Renee |date=September 6, 2024 |title=Friday Rockpile: Bradley Blalock adjusts to MLB life with the Colorado Rockies |url=https://www.purplerow.com/2024/9/6/24235064/bradley-blalock-adjusts-to-mlb-life-with-the-colorado-rockies |access-date=December 27, 2024 |website=Purple Row |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats |mlb=687134 |espn=4720860 |br=b/blalobr01 |fangraphs=26419 |brm=blaloc000bra |retro=B/Pblalb001}}
{{Colorado Rockies roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blalock, Bradley}}
Category:Albuquerque Isotopes players
Category:Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Biloxi Shuckers players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Colorado Rockies players
Category:Greenville Drive players
Category:Gulf Coast Red Sox players
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers
Category:Milwaukee Brewers players
Category:Salem Red Sox players