AA St. Paul Saints

Saints Starter Nick Belzer Has Contract Purchased by Brewers

Published on June 20, 2019 under American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The most dominating starting pitching staff in the league just lost of its young arms. Nick Belzer, who was second in the league in ERA, had a number of scouts come out to watch the righty throw his low to mid 90s fastball. One team decided to jump on the Minnesota State University, Mankato product as the Milwaukee Brewers purchased the contract of Belzer.

The 23-year-old Belzer was having a dominating season in a brief amount of time with the Saints. He was 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in five starts. In 27.1 innings pitched he allowed just four runs on 17 hits while walking nine and striking out 17 while opponents hit a miniscule .185 against him. Belzer never allowed more than a run in any start and tossed 6.0 shutout innings on three hits in his second professional start on May 24 against Sioux City. On June 4 in Grand Prairie, he went 7.0 innings allowing one run on one hit while walking two and striking out seven.

Belzer spent his college career with the Mavericks and during his senior season went 0-1 with a 5.47 ERA in eight games (three starts). In 24.2 innings pitched he walked nine and struck out 31 while opponents hit .296 against him.

Following his senior season he worked at Game Ready in Des Moines, IA with former Saints pitcher, and former Major Leaguer, Mitch Wylie. While down there he worked with Wylie on pitching and used that connection to get a tryout with the Saints prior to the 2019 season.

Belzer originally committed to Indiana State to play baseball after being named All-State out of Ankeny High School. As a senior he went 10-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 68.0 innings pitched. He never played for the Sycamores, as his head coach, Rick Heller, left to take the job at the University of Iowa. Belzer transferred to Iowa, but after not having a scholarship for him, he went to Kansas State for a semester before transferring to Des Moines Area CC. Following his time at Des Moines Area CC he transferred to Mankato.

During his junior season with the Mavericks he went 6-1 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 games (10 starts). In 60.1 innings pitched he walked 22 and struck out 77 while opponents hit just .230 against him. He struck out 11 batters twice.

Belzer becomes the first player from the 2019 season to have his contract purchased. He becomes the 134th contract purchased from the Saints, and 124th different player, including eight who had their contract sold twice and Caleb Thielbar who became the first player to have his contract purchased three times. Of the 134 contracts sold, eight were sold to international teams and a total of 19 have made it to the ultimate level of baseball following their time with the Saints (Julio DePaula, who played for the Saints in 2011, made it to the Major Leagues in 2014, never pitched in a game, but does not show up on the list below because his contract wasn't purchased directly from the Saints).

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American Association Stories from June 20, 2019


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