Gwinnett 2010-19 All-Decade Team (Starting Pitchers, Relievers)
The first full decade in Gwinnett Baseball history included numerous team and individual achievements, including two International League South Division titles, one Governors' Cup Championship Series appearance, 23 IL Midseason All-Stars, nine IL Postseason All-Stars, three IL Rookies of the Year, one IL Most Valuable Pitcher, two IL Batting Champions, one IL ERA Champion, and one IL Manager of the Year, just to name a few.
Over 400 players combined efforts to lead Gwinnett to a 700-723 record (.492) during the 2010's. With the calendar now turned to 2020, I took on the arduous task of naming a top player (or sometimes players) for each individual position covering the past 10 seasons. Please note, the players were selected based on stats from 2010-19 and do not include stats from Gwinnett's inaugural 2009 season.
Following Part 1 (Catchers, Infielders) and Part 2 (Outfielders, Utility, DH), the series concludes this week with Part 3, focusing on starting pitchers and relievers.
Right-Handed Starter:
Video: G-Braves' Teheran fans 11th Mud Hens batter
Julio Teheran (2011-12, 2016)
Decade Stats: 22-12, 3.72 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 224 SO in 280.2 IP, 52 games, 51 starts, 1 CG
Teheran is the only pitcher in Gwinnett history to be named International League Rookie of the Year and IL Most Valuable Pitcher, having accomplished both feats in a record-setting 2011 season. The 20-year-old Colombia native went 15-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) that year, ranking among IL leaders in wins (1st), ERA (2nd), and WHIP (4th, 1.18). His 2011 accomplishments included two IL Pitcher of the Week awards, an IL Midseason All-Star nod, selection to the MLB All-Star Futures Game, and Gwinnett's Most Outstanding Pitcher award. Teheran's 15 wins and 2.55 ERA remain Gwinnett single-season records through 2019, and his 24.0-inning scoreless streak from June 4-20, 2011 is still the longest ever by a Gwinnett starter.
Honorable Mentions:
Todd Redmond (2010-12)
Decade Stats: 34-30, 3.78 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 486 SO in 583.0 IP, 101 games, 97 starts, 4 CG, 3 SHO
Redmond was a model of consistency at the top of the Gwinnett rotation, but never enjoyed a single season quite as good as Teheran's 2011. Still, the St. Petersburg, FL native owns the franchise's lone solo no-hitter - a 9.0-inning effort on May 28, 2010 at Louisville - and several single-season records, including innings (169.2 in 2011), strikeouts (142 in both 2010 and 2011), complete games (two in 2011), and quality starts (19 in 2011). Redmond's best year came in Teheran's shadow in 2011 as he went 10-8 with a 2.92 ERA (3rd in IL), 1.17 WHIP (T-2nd in IL), and 142 strikeouts (5th in IL) in 28 games. Though never an International League All-Star, he is the only pitcher in Gwinnett history to win four IL Pitcher of the Week awards.
Bryse Wilson (2018-19)
Decade Stats: 13-7, 3.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 146 SO in 143.0 IP, 26 games, 24 starts
Wilson's 3.71 ERA with Gwinnett during the decade is lower than both Teheran and Redmond, and he's also the only Gwinnett pitcher to ever win an International League ERA title. His 2018 Triple-A debut included a Gwinnett single-game record 13-strikeout performance on August 15, 2018 vs. Louisville, and he finished 3-0 despite a 5.32 ERA in five games. In 2019 at age 21, he went 10-7 with a 3.42 ERA (1st in IL), 1.21 WHIP (1st in IL), and a team-high 11 quality starts in 21 outings as Atlanta named him Stripers' Pitcher of the Year. Wilson won each of his final six regular-season starts from July 21-August 27, leading the circuit in wins, ERA (0.90), WHIP (0.95), and BAA (.214) in that span. He is one of only two pitchers in Gwinnett history to win six consecutive starts (Kanekoa Texeira did it from July 20-August 15, 2015).
Left-Handed Starter:
Andrew Albers (2017)
Decade Stats: 12-3, 2.61 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 115 SO in 120.2 IP, 26 games, 17 starts
Albers went 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA and 10 quality starts in 26 games (17 starts) during his lone season with Gwinnett in 2017, racking up the second-most single-season wins by a Gwinnett pitcher behind Teheran's 15 in 2011. The crafty 31-year-old went 6-0 with a 0.98 ERA and seven quality starts over his final eight outings with the club prior to a trade to Seattle on August 12, 2017. At the time of the deal, Albers ranked among International League pitching leaders in wins (T-1st), ERA (3rd), WHIP (6th, 1.15), strikeouts (7th, 115), and innings (8th, 120.2). Despite finishing the year in the Majors with Seattle, he was named Gwinnett's Most Outstanding Pitcher.
Honorable Mention: Kolby Allard (2018-19)
Decade Stats: 13-9, 3.44 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 187 SO in 222.1 IP, 39 games, 39 starts
Allard was named an International League Midseason All-Star and Gwinnett's Pitcher of the Year by Atlanta in 2018 after going 6-4 with a 2.72 ERA (3rd in IL) and 1.21 WHIP (5th in IL) in a team-high 19 starts. The 20-year-old led the rotation with 11 quality starts, nearly all of which came during a 10-game quality start streak from April 28-June 21 in which he went 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA. Allard returned to the Stripers in 2019 and went 7-5 with a 4.17 ERA in 20 starts before a trade deadline deal to the Texas Rangers on July 30.
Reliever (Tie):
Craig Kimbrel (2010)
Decade Stats: 3-2, 1.62 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 83 SO in 55.2 IP, 23 saves (23-for-26) in 48 games
Jairo Asencio (2011)
Decade Stats: 3-2, 1.81 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 70 SO in 54.2 IP, 26 saves (26-for-27) in 47 games
With nearly identical numbers in the closer's role, both Kimbrel and Asencio share the top spot for relievers.
After a two-game cup-of-coffee with Gwinnett in 2009, Kimbrel inherited the club's closer role in 2010 and was nearly untouchable, going 3-2 with a 1.62 ERA, .148 BAA, and 23 saves (T-3rd in IL) in 48 games. He struck out 83 batters over just 55.2 innings for a 13.42 SO/9.0 IP ratio, helping him earn Gwinnett's co-Most Outstanding Pitcher award alongside fellow reliever Stephen Marek. Kimbrel finished up 2010 by making a head-turning Major League debut in Atlanta (4-0, 0.44 ERA in 21 games), then captured the National League Rookie of the Year award with the Braves in 2011 (4-3, 2.10 ERA, 46 saves in 79 games).
Asencio missed all of 2010 after serving as Gwinnett's inaugural closer in 2009 but returned to the role in 2011 and had a career year. The Dominican Republic native nearly matched Kimbrel's numbers from 2010, going 3-2 with a 1.81 ERA, .196 BAA, and 26 saves in 47 appearances. He struck out 70 over 54.2 innings for an 11.52 SO/9.0 IP ratio, and his 26 saves both led the International League and ranked second in Gwinnett history. The only pitcher with more single-season saves for a Gwinnett club? That would be Asencio himself in 2009, when he had 27 as an IL Postseason All-Star.
Honorable Mention: Cory Gearrin (2010-13)
Decade Stats: 10-9, 2.63 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 192 SO in 185.0 IP, 13 saves (13-for-16) in 126 games
Gearrin had a sharp two-year run as mainly a middle reliever with Gwinnett from 2010-11, combining to go 7-6 with a 2.76 ERA over 87 appearances. He ascended to the closer's role in 2012 and went 3-3 with a 2.30 ERA, .215 BAA, and nine saves in 39 appearances. Gearrin was named an International League Midseason All-Star as well as Gwinnett's Most Outstanding Pitcher that year, his last with the club. Through 2019, he still leads the franchise in most appearances (126).