5th Season Friday: Julio Teheran
The 2013 season marks the fifth in the brief history of the Gwinnett Braves Baseball Club. To honor that milestone, GwinnettBraves.com will feature some of the great players from the previous four seasons of G-Braves baseball on "5th Season Friday." The feature will run each Friday until Opening Night on April 4.
Friday, March 15: Julio Teheran
As the last 10 weeks of "5th Season Friday" have proved, Gwinnett Braves players have been highly decorated with Triple-A, International League and Atlanta Braves awards in the previous four years. None of the 11 players featured, however, have been as recognized as right-hander Julio Teheran. In his 2011 season alone, the Colombian ace earned a trophy case full of awards, including Atlanta Braves Minor League Pitcher of the Year, International League Rookie of the Year and International League Most Valuable Pitcher.
Teheran entered 2011 with more pressure than most 20-year old pitchers as he hoped to live up to Baseball America's billing as Atlanta's top prospect. Expectations were also high for his first taste of Triple-A after three limited seasons in the system. Prior to Opening Day that year, he had totaled just 44 starts across four levels, including Rookie Danville, Class-A Rome, Advanced-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Mississippi. During that time, he had combined to go 13-14 with a solid 3.20 ERA.
Though heralded as the next big ace for a Braves franchise that had seen plenty of legendary pitchers the last two decades, Teheran was still somewhat unproven at the minor league level. In Gwinnett, he'd go on to back up the "top prospect" billing while establishing himself as the best young pitcher in the game.
To say Teheran got off to a quick start with the G-Braves is an understatement. Despite a pair of no-decisions in his first two starts on April 8 vs. Durham and April 14 vs. Charlotte, he yielded just two earned runs on five hits combined over his first 9.2 innings. On April 20 at Norfolk, he picked up his first Triple-A victory, limiting the Tides to three runs - one earned - over 6.1 innings for his first quality start.
By the end of April, Teheran was already 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts for Gwinnett. On May 2, he was named as the International League's Pitcher of the Week, the first of numerous awards he'd win on the year. Also, shockingly for his age and experience level, he was suddenly a member of Atlanta's rotation.
The Braves called on Teheran for a pair of starts in early May, marking his Major League debut. He took the loss on May 7 at Philadelphia despite giving up only three runs over 4.2 innings in Phillies' 3-0 shutout. The right-hander pitched again on May 18 at Arizona, receiving no decision with two earned runs over 4.0 innings in an eventual 5-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. Shortly after, he was optioned back to Gwinnett.
Teheran returned to the G-Braves' rotation and continued his mastery of IL opponents. After ending May with a loss and a 3.20 ERA, he got back on track for one of the most memorable months by a Gwinnett pitcher. In six June starts, he went a perfect 5-0 with a miniscule 1.10 ERA, struck out 33 while walking only six and held the opposition to a .168 batting average. Teheran's best stretch of June - and the season - came in road starts at Toledo on June 9 and at Indianapolis on June 14, when he posted a 15.0-inning scoreless streak, scattered six total hits and struck out 14 while walking none. After defeating Syracuse on June 20 and Columbus on June 25, he moved his season record to 8-1 and claimed his second IL Pitcher of the Week award.
With the wins and recognition piling up, Teheran was a certain selection for the Triple-A All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, UT. While he'd join teammates Jose Constanza, Stefan Gartrell and Mauro Gomez in being named to the game, he'd be unable to pitch for the International League for good reason. Teheran was simultaneously named the starting pitcher for the World Team in the 2011 XM MLB All-Star Futures Game in Arizona. He threw one inning in the game on July 10, serving up a leadoff home run to Cleveland's Jason Kipnis but also striking out Washington's Bryce Harper.
Teheran returned from his first national showcase and won three of his next four starts with Gwinnett to improve to 12-1. Much like June, he remained perfect in July, going 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA in five total starts. Entering the final full month of the season, he led the IL with a sparkling 1.90 ERA.
The season's final stretch would not be as kind to Teheran, at least from an ERA standpoint. He lost for just the second time all season on August 7 as a result of four earned runs over just 3.0 innings against Charlotte. Teheran would win three of his next four starts to reach the 15-win plateau on August 27, but his season-worst six earned run outing in a loss at Norfolk on September 1 raised his ERA to 2.55. Worst of all, the uncharacteristic outing widened the gap between Gwinnett and Lehigh Valley for the IL Wild Card spot. The IronPigs would claim the final playoff berth by just 1.5 games over the G-Braves.
Despite missing a chance to pitch in the playoffs, Teheran was comforted by numerous awards and distinctions. He earned Atlanta's organizational Pitcher of the Year award for the second-straight season, as well as both the IL's Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Pitcher awards. Both the IL and Baseball America tabbed him as a postseason All-Star. His 15 wins and 2.55 ERA both led the IL, while his .230 opponent average topped all IL starting pitchers.
His biggest reward was a recall to Atlanta in September. On September 8 at New York, with the Braves chasing a National League playoff spot, he won for the first time in the Majors. Teheran held the Mets to one run on five hits over 5.1 innings in a 5-1 victory.
Entering 2012, Teheran was again named Atlanta's top prospect by Baseball America, as well as the top prospect in the minors according to MiLB.com. With his first truly tremendous Triple-A season behind him, he looked poised to win a rotation spot with the Braves in Spring Training.
Ultimately, a rough spring would help hand that spot to fellow G-Braves alum Randall Delgado, booking Teheran for a return trip to Gwinnett. As happens following so many breakout seasons, the right-hander regressed in his sophomore year. Teheran battled inconsistency all season with Gwinnett, going 7-9 with a 5.08 ERA across 26 starts.
Yet the season was not without its bright spots. On June 3 at Charlotte, he put together arguably his best start as a G-Brave, throwing his first complete game against the Knights. A run on seven hits kept him from his first career complete-game shutout. On August 14 at Norfolk, he earned his seventh win with a run over 8.0 innings and nine strikeouts against the Tides. He also pitched twice for Atlanta, going 0-0 with a 5.68 ERA in two games, one start.
Heading into 2013, Teheran remains one of the bright talents in the Braves' organization. He's currently the leading candidate to capture the Braves' fifth starter spot as a result of a hot start to Spring Training. Though the now 22-year-old will hope to avoid pitching in Gwinnett again next year, he'll be remembered by G-Braves fans for putting together one of the most dominant pitching seasons in International League history.
The Gwinnett Braves are honoring five great former players during Season Five in 2013 with the Alumni Bobblehead Series! Collect bobbleheads of Brandon Beachy (4/6), Freddie Freeman (5/18), Jason Heyward (6/22), Kris Medlen (7/6) and Craig Kimbrel (8/10)! Want to secure your tickets to all five G-Braves Alumni Bobblehead dates? Purchase the Bobblehead 5-Pack starting at just $50 today!