No. 4 – RHP Julio Teheran, $1,000,000
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
Some had Julio Teheran tagged to breakout earlier than he actually did as a well renowned IFA prospect from Venezuela. He signed in 2007 with the Atlanta Braves, but did not throw his first MLB pitch until 2011 at age 20. He appeared in only five games to mixed results, then played in only two games in 2012.
House That Hank Built
After working things out in the minors for much of those two seasons, Teheran was able to cement himself in the Braves’ rotation in 2013 when he made 30 starts. But that can’t be considered his breakout season, because he went from impressive in 2013 with a 3.29 ERA to even better in 2014 with a 2.89 ERA, four complete games and two shutouts.
Pitching only in his age 24 season in 2015, Teheran was an outstanding find by the Braves’ international scouts and the organization handled him in such a way to maximize productivity while keeping costs to a reasonable amount.
It’s clear that Teheran is expected to be the ace of the Braves moving forward for quite some time. Last February, the Braves signed him to a six-year $32.4 million contract. He will bump up to making $3.3 million in 2016, but for now, his numbers look mighty fine for an even million dollars in 2015.