With the surplus of arms the Braves have in the minors, it is no surprise that both members chosen to represent the Braves in the futures game are pitchers. Mike Minor was the Braves first round selection last year and Julio Teheran was one of the top international prospects when he was signed in 2007.
Mike Minor
Some questioned Minor’s overall talent and projectability when he was drafted. Many saw him as a third starter with limited strike out ability. The southpaw has changed his perception for the better this season, as he has struck out 101 batters in 80 innings at double-A Mississippi. Expected to be a control pitcher, his strikeout total is as surprising as his walk total. His 33 walks are not an impressive number, but if he continues to strike batters out at this pace it becomes more acceptable. Minor will pitch for Team USA.
Minor’s stats: 2-6, 4.16 ERA, 80 IP, 101 K, 33 BB, 1.23 WHIP
Julio Teheran
Julio Teheran is seriously coming into his own as a 19-year-old. Coming off of a season in which his ERA was 3.65 in 14 starts, he has pitched to a 1.26 ERA in 13 so far this season between low-A Rome and high-A Myrtle Beach. Teheran has been absolutely dominant this year, striking out 10.8 batters per nine, and 11.3 in his six outings at Myrtle Beach. His 7.00 K/BB ratio is unfathomable and by the end of the year there is a very good chance of him being a top-10 prospect in all of baseball. Teheran will pitch for the International Team.
Teheran’s stats: 5-3, 1.26 ERA, 78.1 IP, 94 K, 17 BB, 0.90 WHIP
If you haven’t seen Minor or Teheran pitch live or on video yet, be sure to catch them on the futures game live on July 7 at 6 pm EST.
The rosters for both teams can be found here.
