JULIO TEHERÁN | TEAM: ATLANTA BRAVES | NUMBER: 49
POSITION: STARTING PITCHER | BATS: RIGHT | THROWS: RIGHT
BORN JANUARY 27, 1991 IN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA
Julio Alberto Teherán Pinto is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. Teherán was signed by the Atlanta Braves out of his hometown of Cartagena, Colombia as a non-drafted free agent at age of 16.
Minor league career
Teherán signed with the Atlanta Braves on July 3, 2007, and started his professional career in 2008, pitching for the Danville Braves. During that season he started six games and had a 1–2 record with a 6.60 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 15 innings.
He spent the 2009 season pitching for Danville and the Rome Braves. In 14 starts he went 3–4 with a 3.65 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 81 innings. Prior to the 2010 season, Baseball America ranked him as the Braves third best prospect behind Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman.
Coming off a promising 2009 season, the Atlanta Braves decided to allow Teheran another full season in the minors. He spent the 2010 season pitching for the Rome Braves, Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Mississippi Braves. He finished the season with a 9–8 record, a 2.59 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 142 innings over 24 starts.
Prior to the 2011 season, Teherán was the top ranked prospect by Baseball America in the Atlanta Braves system and fifth overall of all prospects. Teherán started the year with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, going 3–0 with a 1.80 ERA in his first five starts. He was the starting pitcher for the World team in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game on July 10, 2011, but gave up a home run on a 95-mph fastball to the first batter, Cleveland Indians prospect Jason Kipnis, who was leading off the bottom of the first inning for the United States.
Atlanta Braves
On May 6, 2011, the Braves announced that Teherán would be making his Major League debut on May 7 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched with two walks and a strikeout. He was optioned back to Triple-A the next day. Teherán was called up again for another spot start on May 18, pitching 4 innings and getting a no-decision. He was again optioned back to Triple-A the next day.
He completed the 2011 Minor League season with a 15-3 win-loss record and a 2.55 ERA in 24 starts.
Teherán rejoined the Atlanta Braves when rosters expanded in September. He earned his first major league win against the New York Mets on September 8. He was named a starting pitcher on Baseball America's 2011 Minor League All Star team.
Teherán was ranked fifth by Baseball America among all prospects entering the 2012 season, and the second-best right-handed pitcher. With the five-man rotation in question, he was invited to Spring Training to make his case for a spot on the 25-man roster. In the 5 games he appeared in, including three starts, Teherán struggled to find a groove, giving up 22 hits and 18 runs in just 16.1 innings pitched. He was unable to consistently throw strikes as well, giving up eight walks. After struggling against Major League hitters, Teherán was assigned to re-join Gwinnett where he continued his inconsistencies. He fell to a 7–9 record in 26 starts with a 5.08 ERA, giving up 18 home runs.
When injuries plagued the Major League roster, including a season-ending injury to Brandon Beachy, Teherán was passed over by several other players for the call-up. Atlanta signed free agent Ben Sheets, traded for Paul Maholm, and called Randall Delgado up as replacements rather than the highly touted prospect.
Expectations for the 21-year-old Teherán were lower in 2013 than the previous spring. He was invited to the Major League Spring Training once again, however, where he showed flares of stardom, posting a 1.29 ERA through four starts, spanning 14.1 innings through March 16. He did not start the regular season off strong, with a 5.08 ERA in the first month, but 2013 ended up being his breakout year. He turned things around after April, finishing the season with 14-8 record, 3.20 ERA, 170 strikeouts, and 185.2 IP. On June 5, Teherán was pitching a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates through 7.2 innings before giving up a single to pinch-hitter Brandon Inge.
Teherán signed a 6-year, $32.4 million extension with the Braves on February 14, 2014. He was the Braves' Opening Day starter for the first time in his career, taking the loss in a 2–0 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Teherán was selected to the 2014 MLB All-Star Game, his first All-Star Game selection. However, he was ineligible due to previously pitching the Sunday before the All-Star break. He was honored as an All-Star in a pregame ceremony. Teherán became the second Colombian to be selected an All-Star, following former Braves player Edgar Rentería. In 2015, Teherán was once again the Braves' Opening Day starting pitcher, winning a 2–1 game against the Miami Marlins. In 33 starts, he went 11–8 with a career-high 4.04 ERA. For the third consecutive year, the Braves began their season with Teherán on the mound. He earned a no-decision in a 4–3 loss to the Washington Nationals. During a game on May 24, he recorded a career-high twelve strikeouts, including four in one inning.
Teherán throws a four seam fastball that averages 92 mph, paired with a 2-seam fastball at 89 mph. His slider and change up both are thrown at around 82 mph. His curveball sits in the mid-70s. Teherán also has a screwball (65 mph) that he does not use very often. Teherán has a very effective pickoff move. His 14 successful attempts over the 2013 and 2014 seasons combined were the most for any pitcher during that period.[29]
Teherán's second cousin is Sugar Ray Marimón. They grew up together in Cartagena and were Braves teammates in 2015.
