Over the past couple of years the Red Sox have expressed a willingness to work out long-term contract extensions with some of their young stars, and one such deal may soon be within reach.

According to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox are engaged in extension talks with starting pitcher Brayan Bello and that those conversations have been heating up. Bello told Cotillo in Fort Myers Wednesday that his agents have been discussing a new contract with the club, and when asked if a deal was close he responded “mas o menos” — which translates to “more or less” — and said “maybe” when asked if an agreement could be reached before the end of spring training.

Bello, who turns 25 in May, is coming off a successful first full season in the majors and was Boston’s best starting pitcher in 2023. The Dominican Republic native led the Red Sox in starts (28) and innings pitched (157) and posted a 4.24 ERA, and he is expected to be a top contender to start on Opening Day this season.

Originally signed as an international free agent in 2017 for only $28,000, Bello is arguably the Red Sox biggest pitching development success story of the last decade. He rose from relative obscurity to Boston’s top pitching prospect and now ranks among the best young pitchers in baseball age 25 or under.

Bello won’t be eligible for salary arbitration for another two years and isn’t scheduled to become a free agent until after 2028, but a long-term extension would both reward the pitcher for his accomplishments while also ensuring he remains a mainstay in the Red Sox rotation through the remainder of the decade and potentially beyond.

A Bello extension would also be a major boost for the club after its highly disappointing offseason and would represent a step forward after it failed to reach early extensions with its last generation of homegrown stars, most notably Mookie Betts. The Red Sox have also engaged second-year slugger Triston Casas in extension talks, but the first baseman told reporters recently that the sides weren’t close and that the club’s offer was “nothing enticing.”