Ronel Blanco #56

Grew up in Santiago, DR, which is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic...played amateur baseball as a light-hitting corner infielder and outfielder with a strong arm...did not hit enough to get a look by scouts so switched to pitching at the age of 18...worked on his pitching in the morning, and in the afternoon he worked at a car wash, to help support himself and his mother, Maria...Continued pitching in showcases and on the tryout circuit in the Dominican, where he was eventually seen at a workout by Astros scout Francis Mojica...Mojica attended the workout to get a look at the highly-touted prospect and eventual 2022 AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez, who shared the same trainer as Blanco... after seeing him throw, Mojica invited Blanco to the Astros academy and subsequently signed him at the age of 22 on April 27, 2016...Mojica, Oz Ocampo and Roman Ocumarez are all credited with the signing of Blanco...Blanco joined a growing list of Astros pitchers who were signed at advanced ages out of Latin American countries...the Astros have also signed Framber Valdez (21 years old), Luis Garcia (20), Enoli Paredes (19) and Cristian Javier (18) at ages that most teams would deem too old to sign...After signing, slowly worked his way up the Astros Minor League system, eventually receiving non-roster invites to Spring Training in both 2021 and 2022...after a strong Spring Training, made the Astros Opening Day roster in 2022...Picked up 25 days of Major League service in 2022 before using his first of three option years last season...is currently signed to a one-year contract for the 2023 season.

2022

Began his season as a non-roster invite at Major League Spring Training and impressed, making five scoreless appearances, while allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts...After Spring Training, made the Astros Opening Day roster...pitched in seven relief appearances with Houston, tossing 6.1 innings, while striking out seven...made his Major League debut on April 8 at LAA (1ER/1.2IP), closing out the Astros 13-6 win...Spent a month in Houston before being optioned to Triple A on May 1...finished his season at Sugar Land, where he made 44 apps., posting a 3.63 ERA (18ER/44.2IP) with 58 strikeouts in 44.2 innings...Like his 2021 offseason, returned to the Estrellas for Winter Ball in 2022, and did not allow an earned run in his Winter Ball season...went 4-0 with six saves and a 0.00 ERA (0ER/20.2IP) for the Estrellas.

2021

Was an NRI at Astros Spring Training for the first time in his career in 2021 and ultimately made two scoreless appearances for the Astros (2.1IP)... reassigned to minor league camp on March 17... spent his entire regular season at Triple-A Sugar Land, appearing in 42 games, while posting a 5-3 record, 22 saves and a 3.40 ERA (17ER/45IP)... struck out 57 in his 45.0 innings pitched...following the regular season, had a stellar stint with the Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League...made 17 scoreless appearances for the Estrellas, pitching 18.0 innings...tacked on another two scoreless appearances in the Dominican League postseason.

2020

Trained at the Astros Alternate Training Site in 2020 during the pandemic-shortened season.

2019

Appeared at three levels in the Astros system in 2019, going 5-2 with a 4.96 ERA (27ER/49IP) and 57 strikeouts in 32 games between Triple A Round Rock (19g), Double A Corpus Christi (9g) and Class A Short Season Tri-City (4g).

2018

Posted a 5-1 record and a 1.73 ERA in 19 games at Class A Advanced Buies Creek in 2018, before going 2-0 with a 7.08 ERA in his first stint at Double A.