Stevenson’s Michael Belbot has learned to harness his competitiveness.
Back when he was 12, an observer might have called him a hothead.
“Going back to house league baseball, if I had a bad outing on the mound, I would pout about it,” Belbot said. “I would pout, scream and throw my stuff. I would argue with umpires — stuff like that.”
His maturation has coincided with his development into a Division I recruit.
Belbot, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior pitcher/infielder, has committed to play at Illinois-Chicago. Through 13 games for the Patriots (8-5) this season, he was hitting .324 with three home runs and 12 RBIs and had struck out 11 while allowing just one run on two hits in 5 ⅔ innings on the mound.
“My mentality and attitude toward the game have changed,” Belbot said. “I’ve come the furthest by being more respectful to everyone in the game. I’m still a very competitive person, so my emotions show, but they show more toward my teammates instead of how a call should’ve gone. If you watch me, you see me being very vocal.”
Stevenson coach Nick Skala has noticed.
“Anything we need, he’ll jump at the bit to volunteer,” Skala said. “He’s a hardworking kid who comes from a great family. Anyone would want him on their team. I’m going to miss him. Michael has left a legacy with this program.”
Baseball has been a significant part of Belbot’s life since he was 4. His father, Michael, introduced him to the game and coached him in those early days. But pitching wasn’t always part of his repertoire.
“I had the arm strength, but I wasn’t a pitcher,” Belbot said.
He played around the infield, mostly at shortstop. But when he was on Stevenson’s freshman team, coaches couldn’t ignore his potential.
“People started to notice the arm strength more,” he said. “I touched 82 (mph) my freshman year. My coaches were like, ‘All right, you need to start pitching.’”
Belbot said he has gained 70 pounds since then. He has worked out diligently at Lincolnshire-based APX Chicago for two years, targeting explosive movements, and added extra meals to bulk up. His fastball tops out at 91 mph.
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“That’s the No. 1 thing that helped me gain velocity,” Belbot said. “Once, I gained 25 pounds in one offseason. I didn’t even touch a ball for a while. Then I picked up a ball, threw it and my velocity was up 6 mph.”
Belbot mixes his fastball with a strong curveball and change-up.
His close friend Luca Morelli, an Illinois Wesleyan commit, estimates he has caught Belbot more than 100 times during Stevenson games, travel baseball and bullpen sessions.
“He’s one of my favorite guys to catch,” Morelli said. “He responds well. He’s gotten a lot more comfortable, and his mentality, composure and tempo are a lot better. He works a lot more controlled now.”
The UIC coaching staff scouted Belbot last year and welcomed him to campus for a visit last summer. On the day of his visit, the Flames made an official scholarship offer, and Belbot committed a few days later on June 29.
“It fits perfectly,” he said. “They’re all welcoming. It’s a family. What more can you ask for?”
Sam Brief is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
