Ronel Blanco

A Dominican native, Ronel De Jesus Blanco was born on August 31, 1993. He is popularly recognized as a professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros, a Major League Baseball team (MLB). His journey into the professional league began in 2016 when he inked a contract with the Astros as an international free agent. His ascension to the limelight in the MLB was cemented with his debut performance in Spring 2022. Further marking his prominence was a no-hitter he threw against the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024.

In his early career, Blanco could be seen in the corner infielder and outfielder positions until he started claiming the mound at the age of 18. He joined the Houston Astros as an international free agent on April 27, 2016, when he was just 22. During the first season, Blanco balanced his time between the DSL Astros and the GCL Astros, registering a commendable record of 7-wins and 1-loss alongside a 2.13 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 50+2/3 innings.

The 2017 season saw a division of time for Blanco between the Quad Cities River Bandits and the Buies Creek Astros. This saw him accumulate 6 wins and 5 losses, with a 3.38 ERA and 79 strikeouts over an 88 innings stretch. His 2018 tenure was similarly split between Buies Creek and the Corpus Christi Hooks. As he improved his range and strategy, his combined records displayed 7 wins and 1 loss, and an ERA of 3.65 with 71 strikeouts in 56+2/3 innings.

As he continued his baseball journey in 2019, Blanco committed his time to the Tri-City ValleyCats, Corpus Christi, and the Round Rock Express. Despite the demanding schedule, he managed 5 wins against 2 losses, posting a 4.96 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 49 innings. His career paused in 2020 due to the worldwide emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season. Following the pause, he spent the 2021 season with the Sugar Land Skeeters.

In another milestone event on April 7, 2022, the Astros selected Blanco’s contract and upgraded him to their major league roster. Two days later, he made his major league debut pitching in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels. Throwing his heart out, Blanco made the Astros’ Opening Day roster for a consecutive season on March 28, 2023.

His debut as a starting pitcher in the major leagues was on June 1, 2023. He clinched a win in the 5-2 final over the Angels, pitching 5+1/3 innings with 7 hits, 3 walks, 2 earned runs allowed, and 5 strikeouts. In a monumental feat, Blanco pitched the first no-hitter of the 2024 MLB season on April 1, 2024, against the Toronto Blue Jays. His performance was the eighth start of his career, the seventeenth no-hitter in Astros’ history, and the tenth achieved by a Dominican pitcher. Honored as the American League (AL) Player of the Week for the first time, he was celebrated for the week ending April 6, 2024. Exhibiting his worth in this successive start on April 7, he threw a consecutive 5+2/3 no-hit innings.

However, his career faced a stumbling block on May 14 during a game against the Oakland Athletics. Blanco was ejected because of a sticky substance found on his gloves. He received a 10-game suspension, but this did not falter his spirit. Upon his return, he threw 7 innings with just one run. In August 2024, Blanco exceeded his career-high as a professional in innings pitched (125+1/3), spanning AAA and MLB in 2023.

On a personal note, Blanco is happily married to his wife, Yanissa. They welcomed their second child in March 2024. His journey is a testament to hard work, determination, and a strong passion for the game. Despite several challenges along the way, Blanco has managed to solidify his name among the professionals within the Major League Baseball community.