diff --git a/examples/avro_read_async.rs b/examples/avro_read_async.rs
index 7d0dd8d808e..adf67855e2d 100644
--- a/examples/avro_read_async.rs
+++ b/examples/avro_read_async.rs
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let blocks = block_stream(&mut reader, marker).await;
 
     pin_mut!(blocks);
-    while let Some((mut block, rows)) = blocks.next().await.transpose()? {
-        // the content here is blocking. In general this should run on spawn_blocking
+    while let Some(mut block) = blocks.next().await.transpose()? {
         let schema = schema.clone();
         let avro_schemas = avro_schemas.clone();
+        // the content here is CPU-bounded. It should run on a dedicated thread pool
         let handle = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-            let mut decompressed = vec![];
+            let mut decompressed = Block::new(0, vec![]);
             decompress_block(&mut block, &mut decompressed, compression)?;
-            deserialize(&decompressed, rows, schema, &avro_schemas)
+            deserialize(&decompressed, schema, &avro_schemas)
         });
         let batch = handle.await.unwrap()?;
         assert!(batch.num_rows() > 0);
diff --git a/src/io/avro/mod.rs b/src/io/avro/mod.rs
index 0dc4b8909e6..cd32ec2c880 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/mod.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/mod.rs
@@ -90,3 +90,41 @@ macro_rules! read_metadata {
 }
 
 pub(crate) use {avro_decode, read_header, read_metadata};
+
+/// A compressed Avro block.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
+pub struct CompressedBlock {
+    /// The number of rows
+    pub number_of_rows: usize,
+    /// The compressed data
+    pub data: Vec<u8>,
+}
+
+impl CompressedBlock {
+    /// Creates a new CompressedBlock
+    pub fn new(number_of_rows: usize, data: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            number_of_rows,
+            data,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// An uncompressed Avro block.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
+pub struct Block {
+    /// The number of rows
+    pub number_of_rows: usize,
+    /// The uncompressed data
+    pub data: Vec<u8>,
+}
+
+impl Block {
+    /// Creates a new Block
+    pub fn new(number_of_rows: usize, data: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            number_of_rows,
+            data,
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/io/avro/read/block.rs b/src/io/avro/read/block.rs
index 40f30ac3d06..0df7556276c 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/read/block.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/read/block.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use fallible_streaming_iterator::FallibleStreamingIterator;
 
 use crate::error::{ArrowError, Result};
 
+use super::super::CompressedBlock;
 use super::util;
 
 fn read_size<R: Read>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<(usize, usize)> {
@@ -24,29 +25,38 @@ fn read_size<R: Read>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<(usize, usize)> {
     Ok((rows as usize, bytes as usize))
 }
 
-/// Reads a block from the `reader` into `buf`.
-/// # Panic
-/// Panics iff the block marker does not equal to the file's marker
-fn read_block<R: Read>(reader: &mut R, buf: &mut Vec<u8>, file_marker: [u8; 16]) -> Result<usize> {
+/// Reads a [`CompressedBlock`] from the `reader`.
+/// # Error
+/// This function errors iff either the block cannot be read or the sync marker does not match
+fn read_block<R: Read>(
+    reader: &mut R,
+    block: &mut CompressedBlock,
+    file_marker: [u8; 16],
+) -> Result<()> {
     let (rows, bytes) = read_size(reader)?;
+    block.number_of_rows = rows;
     if rows == 0 {
-        return Ok(0);
+        return Ok(());
     };
 
-    buf.clear();
-    buf.resize(bytes, 0);
-    reader.read_exact(buf)?;
+    block.data.clear();
+    block.data.resize(bytes, 0);
+    reader.read_exact(&mut block.data)?;
 
     let mut marker = [0u8; 16];
     reader.read_exact(&mut marker)?;
 
-    assert!(!(marker != file_marker));
-    Ok(rows)
+    if marker != file_marker {
+        return Err(ArrowError::ExternalFormat(
+            "Avro: the sync marker in the block does not correspond to the file marker".to_string(),
+        ));
+    }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 /// [`FallibleStreamingIterator`] of compressed avro blocks
 pub struct BlockStreamIterator<R: Read> {
-    buf: (Vec<u8>, usize),
+    buf: CompressedBlock,
     reader: R,
     file_marker: [u8; 16],
 }
@@ -57,33 +67,32 @@ impl<R: Read> BlockStreamIterator<R> {
         Self {
             reader,
             file_marker,
-            buf: (vec![], 0),
+            buf: CompressedBlock::new(0, vec![]),
         }
     }
 
     /// The buffer of [`BlockStreamIterator`].
-    pub fn buffer(&mut self) -> &mut Vec<u8> {
-        &mut self.buf.0
+    pub fn buffer(&mut self) -> &mut CompressedBlock {
+        &mut self.buf
     }
 
     /// Deconstructs itself
     pub fn into_inner(self) -> (R, Vec<u8>) {
-        (self.reader, self.buf.0)
+        (self.reader, self.buf.data)
     }
 }
 
 impl<R: Read> FallibleStreamingIterator for BlockStreamIterator<R> {
     type Error = ArrowError;
-    type Item = (Vec<u8>, usize);
+    type Item = CompressedBlock;
 
     fn advance(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        let (buf, rows) = &mut self.buf;
-        *rows = read_block(&mut self.reader, buf, self.file_marker)?;
+        read_block(&mut self.reader, &mut self.buf, self.file_marker)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
     fn get(&self) -> Option<&Self::Item> {
-        if self.buf.1 > 0 {
+        if self.buf.number_of_rows > 0 {
             Some(&self.buf)
         } else {
             None
diff --git a/src/io/avro/read/decompress.rs b/src/io/avro/read/decompress.rs
index 9fd64ddbf3b..243f815221f 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/read/decompress.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/read/decompress.rs
@@ -5,16 +5,21 @@ use fallible_streaming_iterator::FallibleStreamingIterator;
 
 use crate::error::{ArrowError, Result};
 
+use super::super::{Block, CompressedBlock};
 use super::BlockStreamIterator;
 use super::Compression;
 
 /// Decompresses an Avro block.
 /// Returns whether the buffers where swapped.
 pub fn decompress_block(
-    block: &mut Vec<u8>,
-    decompressed: &mut Vec<u8>,
+    block: &mut CompressedBlock,
+    decompressed: &mut Block,
     compression: Option<Compression>,
 ) -> Result<bool> {
+    decompressed.number_of_rows = block.number_of_rows;
+    let block = &mut block.data;
+    let decompressed = &mut decompressed.data;
+
     match compression {
         None => {
             std::mem::swap(block, decompressed);
@@ -55,7 +60,7 @@ pub fn decompress_block(
 pub struct Decompressor<R: Read> {
     blocks: BlockStreamIterator<R>,
     codec: Option<Compression>,
-    buf: (Vec<u8>, usize),
+    buf: Block,
     was_swapped: bool,
 }
 
@@ -65,7 +70,7 @@ impl<R: Read> Decompressor<R> {
         Self {
             blocks,
             codec,
-            buf: (vec![], 0),
+            buf: Block::new(0, vec![]),
             was_swapped: false,
         }
     }
@@ -78,20 +83,19 @@ impl<R: Read> Decompressor<R> {
 
 impl<'a, R: Read> FallibleStreamingIterator for Decompressor<R> {
     type Error = ArrowError;
-    type Item = (Vec<u8>, usize);
+    type Item = Block;
 
     fn advance(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         if self.was_swapped {
-            std::mem::swap(self.blocks.buffer(), &mut self.buf.0);
+            std::mem::swap(&mut self.blocks.buffer().data, &mut self.buf.data);
         }
         self.blocks.advance()?;
-        self.was_swapped = decompress_block(self.blocks.buffer(), &mut self.buf.0, self.codec)?;
-        self.buf.1 = self.blocks.get().map(|(_, rows)| *rows).unwrap_or_default();
+        self.was_swapped = decompress_block(self.blocks.buffer(), &mut self.buf, self.codec)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
     fn get(&self) -> Option<&Self::Item> {
-        if self.buf.1 > 0 {
+        if self.buf.number_of_rows > 0 {
             Some(&self.buf)
         } else {
             None
diff --git a/src/io/avro/read/deserialize.rs b/src/io/avro/read/deserialize.rs
index 33bd8d888ae..dda3fb4cb7e 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/read/deserialize.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/read/deserialize.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use crate::error::Result;
 use crate::record_batch::RecordBatch;
 use crate::types::months_days_ns;
 
+use super::super::Block;
 use super::nested::*;
 use super::util;
 
@@ -241,13 +242,15 @@ fn deserialize_value<'a>(
     Ok(block)
 }
 
-/// Deserializes an Avro block into a [`RecordBatch`].
+/// Deserializes a [`Block`] into a [`RecordBatch`].
 pub fn deserialize(
-    mut block: &[u8],
-    rows: usize,
+    block: &Block,
     schema: Arc<Schema>,
     avro_schemas: &[AvroSchema],
 ) -> Result<RecordBatch> {
+    let rows = block.number_of_rows;
+    let mut block = block.data.as_ref();
+
     // create mutables, one per field
     let mut arrays: Vec<Box<dyn MutableArray>> = schema
         .fields()
diff --git a/src/io/avro/read/mod.rs b/src/io/avro/read/mod.rs
index 1cb32186fa4..b203884de18 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/read/mod.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/read/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#![deny(missing_docs)]
 //! APIs to read from Avro format to arrow.
 use std::io::Read;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -73,9 +72,9 @@ impl<R: Read> Iterator for Reader<R> {
         let schema = self.schema.clone();
         let avro_schemas = &self.avro_schemas;
 
-        self.iter.next().transpose().map(|x| {
-            let (data, rows) = x?;
-            deserialize(data, *rows, schema, avro_schemas)
-        })
+        self.iter
+            .next()
+            .transpose()
+            .map(|maybe_block| deserialize(maybe_block?, schema, avro_schemas))
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/io/avro/read_async/block.rs b/src/io/avro/read_async/block.rs
index 47cf71aea93..fe31d554434 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/read_async/block.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/read_async/block.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ use futures::Stream;
 
 use crate::error::{ArrowError, Result};
 
+use super::CompressedBlock;
+
 use super::utils::zigzag_i64;
 
 async fn read_size<R: AsyncRead + Unpin + Send>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<(usize, usize)> {
@@ -25,43 +27,48 @@ async fn read_size<R: AsyncRead + Unpin + Send>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<(usize
     Ok((rows as usize, bytes as usize))
 }
 
-/// Reads a block from the file into `buf`.
-/// # Panic
-/// Panics iff the block marker does not equal to the file's marker
+/// Reads a [`CompressedBlock`] from the `reader`.
+/// # Error
+/// This function errors iff either the block cannot be read or the sync marker does not match
 async fn read_block<R: AsyncRead + Unpin + Send>(
     reader: &mut R,
-    buf: &mut Vec<u8>,
+    block: &mut CompressedBlock,
     file_marker: [u8; 16],
-) -> Result<usize> {
+) -> Result<()> {
     let (rows, bytes) = read_size(reader).await?;
+    block.number_of_rows = rows;
     if rows == 0 {
-        return Ok(0);
+        return Ok(());
     };
 
-    buf.clear();
-    buf.resize(bytes, 0);
-    reader.read_exact(buf).await?;
+    block.data.clear();
+    block.data.resize(bytes, 0);
+    reader.read_exact(&mut block.data).await?;
 
     let mut marker = [0u8; 16];
     reader.read_exact(&mut marker).await?;
 
-    assert!(!(marker != file_marker));
-    Ok(rows)
+    if marker != file_marker {
+        return Err(ArrowError::ExternalFormat(
+            "Avro: the sync marker in the block does not correspond to the file marker".to_string(),
+        ));
+    }
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 /// Returns a fallible [`Stream`] of Avro blocks bound to `reader`
 pub async fn block_stream<R: AsyncRead + Unpin + Send>(
     reader: &mut R,
     file_marker: [u8; 16],
-) -> impl Stream<Item = Result<(Vec<u8>, usize)>> + '_ {
+) -> impl Stream<Item = Result<CompressedBlock>> + '_ {
     try_stream! {
         loop {
-            let mut buffer = vec![];
-            let rows = read_block(reader, &mut buffer, file_marker).await?;
-            if rows == 0 {
+            let mut block = CompressedBlock::new(0, vec![]);
+            read_block(reader, &mut block, file_marker).await?;
+            if block.number_of_rows == 0 {
                 break
             }
-            yield (buffer, rows)
+            yield block
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/io/avro/read_async/mod.rs b/src/io/avro/read_async/mod.rs
index d5d18500856..dc3d7c276ba 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/read_async/mod.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/read_async/mod.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-//! Async Avro
+//! Async read Avro
 
 mod block;
 mod metadata;
 pub(self) mod utils;
 
+pub use super::{Block, CompressedBlock};
 pub use block::block_stream;
 pub use metadata::read_metadata;
diff --git a/src/io/avro/write/block.rs b/src/io/avro/write/block.rs
index 562019f6c56..5729097d7b3 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/write/block.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/write/block.rs
@@ -2,46 +2,9 @@ use std::io::Write;
 
 use crate::{error::Result, io::avro::Compression};
 
+use super::super::{Block, CompressedBlock};
 use super::{util::zigzag_encode, SYNC_NUMBER};
 
-/// A compressed Avro block.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
-pub struct CompressedBlock {
-    /// The number of rows
-    pub number_of_rows: usize,
-    /// The compressed data
-    pub data: Vec<u8>,
-}
-
-impl CompressedBlock {
-    /// Creates a new CompressedBlock
-    pub fn new(number_of_rows: usize, data: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            number_of_rows,
-            data,
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-/// An uncompressed Avro block.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
-pub struct Block {
-    /// The number of rows
-    pub number_of_rows: usize,
-    /// The uncompressed data
-    pub data: Vec<u8>,
-}
-
-impl Block {
-    /// Creates a new Block
-    pub fn new(number_of_rows: usize, data: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            number_of_rows,
-            data,
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 /// Writes a [`CompressedBlock`] to `writer`
 pub fn write_block<W: Write>(writer: &mut W, compressed_block: &CompressedBlock) -> Result<()> {
     // write size and rows
diff --git a/src/io/avro/write/mod.rs b/src/io/avro/write/mod.rs
index 3be4fc53103..c080498cfea 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/write/mod.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/write/mod.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ mod block;
 pub use block::*;
 mod util;
 
+pub use super::{Block, CompressedBlock};
+
 const SYNC_NUMBER: [u8; 16] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4];
 
 /// Writes Avro's metadata to `writer`.
diff --git a/tests/it/io/avro/read_async.rs b/tests/it/io/avro/read_async.rs
index 7b6b019b45b..5d0c688b7c7 100644
--- a/tests/it/io/avro/read_async.rs
+++ b/tests/it/io/avro/read_async.rs
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ async fn test(codec: Codec) -> Result<()> {
     let blocks = block_stream(&mut reader, marker).await;
 
     pin_mut!(blocks);
-    while let Some((block, rows)) = blocks.next().await.transpose()? {
-        assert!(rows > 0 || block.is_empty())
+    while let Some(block) = blocks.next().await.transpose()? {
+        assert!(block.number_of_rows > 0 || block.data.is_empty())
     }
     Ok(())
 }