Julio Alberto Teherán is a minor league baseball

Minor league baseball

Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...

 pitcher

Pitcher

In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

 in the Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 organization.

Teherán is considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball, ranking number one by Baseball America

Baseball America

Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...

 in the Atlanta Braves system and fifth overall of all prospects.

Professional career

Teherán started his professional career in 2008, pitching for the Danville Braves

Danville Braves

The Danville Braves are a minor league baseball team in Danville, Virginia, USA. They are an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been a farm team of the Atlanta Braves since 1993. The Braves play home games at American Legion Post 325 Field...

. During that season he started six games and had a 1–2 record with a 6.60 ERA

Earned run average

In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 and 17 strikeouts in 15 innings

Innings pitched

In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...

. He spent the 2009 season pitching for Danville and the Rome Braves

Rome Braves

The Rome Braves are a Class-A minor league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. In 2003, the team, previously known as the Macon Braves, moved from Macon, Georgia, to Rome, Georgia, 60 miles northwest of Atlanta....

. 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

Jason Heyward

Jason Alias Heyward , nicknamed J-Hey and J-Hey-Kid, is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Atlanta Braves. He throws and bats left-handed....

 and Freddie Freeman

Freddie Freeman

Frederick Charles "Freddie" Freeman is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...

. He spent the 2010 season pitching for the Rome Braves, Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A Advanced team in the Carolina League and the franchise is currently the farm team of the Texas Rangers. From their inaugural season until 2010, the Pelicans were an affiliate of the...

 and Mississippi Braves

Mississippi Braves

The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a minor league baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Liberty Media, which...

. He finished the season with a 9–8 record, a 2.59 ERA and 159 strikouts in 142 innings over 24 starts.

Teherán started the 2011 season with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves

Gwinnett Braves

The Gwinnett Braves are a minor league baseball team in the International League, the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Atlanta Braves. The team was previously the Richmond Braves for 43 seasons . On January 14, 2008, it was announced that the Richmond Braves would move from Richmond,...

, going 3–0 with a 1.80 ERA in his first 5 starts. He was the starting pitcher for the World team in the 2011 All-Star Futures Game

All-Star Futures Game

The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...

 on July 10, 2011, but gave up a home run on a 95-mph fastball to the first batter, Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 prospect Jason Kipnis

Jason Kipnis

Jason Michael Kipnis is an American baseball player who plays second base for the Cleveland Indians. He was called up from the minor leagues to the Indians on July 22, 2011....

, who was leading off the bottom of the first inning for the United States.

Major league career

On May 6, 2011, the Braves announced that Teherán would be making his Major League debut on May 7 against the Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

. He took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched with two walks

Base on balls

A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...

 and a strikeout

Strikeout

In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....

. 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.

Teherán rejoined the Atlanta Braves when rosters expanded in September. He earned his first major league win against the New York Mets

New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 on September 8. He was named a starting pitcher on Baseball Americas 2011 Minor League All Star team.

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