Game Report: Julio Teheran, SP, Atlanta Braves

Julio Teheran (5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K) Julio Teheran has built quite a prospect resume for himself by the age of eighteen as a highly touted player featured in every major prospect publication. At present, Teheran takes the statement “raw and undeveloped” to the extreme. Should he shake the injury bug which has plagued his young career, Teheran has the potential to take off into the stratosphere. With the expected graduation of Jason Heyward from prospect to big leaguer sometime in 2010, the young Columbian is a current favorite to take the reigns as Braves top prospect.

Physique and Athleticism: At 150 lbs., Teheran is lean, but explosive. his mechanics are similar to that of a gun as they resemble a hammer slowly cocking back prior to firing. His arm action is loose as he creates great arm whip. With that whip, he’s able to create great downward plane. On the back end of his delivery, he struggles to incorporate his legs and has a tendency to keep his front side open.

At 18, he does not have the frame to add significant size due to his being thin through the shoulders and legs, but should be able to gain at least 30 lbs. from natural growth. The added size should help him become more durable. Mechanical adjustments will also play a key role as his delivery definitely has effort and he does not consistently close off his front side.

Fastball: On velocity alone, Teheran’s fastball was on par with the best I’ve seen this season. Consistently 92-93 MPH, he took the pitch up to 94 MPH on a handful of occasions. The pitch had minimal rise and occasional run in on right-handed batters. He struggled to locate consistently. Teheran was a “thrower” in every sense of the word and the majority of his fastballs were of the “Hit this if you can” variety. However, one can not be too hard on Teheran at this point in his career. With his being at least 40 lbs. lighter than any pitcher I saw who could touch 94, triple digits aren’t out of the question once he fills out and matures.

Curveball: On consecutive pitches in the bullpen, Teheran threw one curve in the dirt, another well over the catcher’s head, and a third across the outer black. The potential of the pitch is apparent, but he struggled with his feel the entire evening. At 76-78 MPH, the pitch had a bigger break than I was expecting. However, the lack of bite through the strike zone left it a hittable pitch.

Changeup: Consistently in the mid-80′s, the pitch had 6-8 MPH of separation from his fastball. Teheran’s arm action is visibly slower compared to when he brings the heat. For the pitch to become an average offering, he will have to speed up his arm action while increasing velocity separation from the fastball. He also had a tendency to leave the ball up in the zone. As he tired, the pitch gained movement which led to a few wild swings and misses by Savannah batters.

Teheran will likely begin the 2010 season back in Rome where I may catch him again in mid-May. By then, I hope to see his beginning to move from pure thrower to pitcher as he begins to refine his game. The fastball is elite, but the rest of his repertoire lags significantly behind. With a healthy season, Teheran should cement himself firmly in the top 100 prospects and will undoubtedly start to draw Neftali Feliz comparisons since Feliz started as a part of the Atlanta Braves organization as well.