MLB Spring Training: Julio Teheran, Yu Darvish Disappoint

Every morning, I will recap the previous day’s notable prospect performances, both at the plate and on the mound. As I unveil my prospect lists over the upcoming weeks, these daily recaps will offer advanced insight into both my organizational and overall rankings.

Although there has already been a slew of roster cuts league-wide, there are still plenty of prospects battling for jobs and hoping to leave a lasting impression on their future manager.

Here is a look at Monday’s top performances by a pitcher...

Addison Reed, Chicago White Sox

Reed, the organization’s future closer and No. 1 prospect, had another strong outing on Monday, as the hard-throwing right-hander fanned two in a perfect inning.

Reed offered a glimpse of his potential in late 2011 following a promotion to the Major Leagues. In 7.1 innings, he posted a 3.68 ERA and 12/1 K/BB ratio.

This spring, he has a 1.69 ERA with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Joe Savery, Philadelphia Phillies

One of my favorite stories of the 2011 season, Savery, a failed position prospect turned reliever, reached the Major Leagues after beginning the year at High-A.

Appearing in four games for the Phillies at the end of last season, the 6'3" left-hander allowed one hit while notching two strikeouts over 2.2 innings. Savery’s only improved his chances of cracking the Opening Day roster with a strong spring: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 7/2 K/BB.

Yesterday against the Tigers, the 26-year-old picked up the win after throwing two excellent innings in which he allowed one hit while fanning three batters.

Randall Delgado, Atlanta Braves

In one of his final opportunities to secure a spot as the Braves’ fifth starter, Delgado threw five solid innings despite being saddled with the loss. His only mistake was a hanging changeup that Matt Carpenter deposited well over the right-field wall.

Beyond that, the right-hander’s stuff looked good, as he allowed two runs on three hits over five innings while walking three and striking out five.

Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves

Entering the game in relief of Delgado, Teheran, the Braves’ No. 1 prospect and one of the finest young arms in the game, was hit hard for the fourth consecutive outing.

Although his upside remains extremely high, it’s somewhat disconcerting that the right-hander’s struggles have persisted throughout the spring.

After a shaky first inning in which he allowed two runs on three hits, Teheran settled in and made quality pitches. His changeup was extremely effective against the Cardinals’ left-handed hitters and directly contributed to his four strikeouts in four innings.

However, hitters continue to torch Teheran’s fastball, which has caught too much of the plate in every outing and is responsible for the nine home runs he’s allowed in 13 spring innings.

Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

Making this third start of the spring, Darvish was effectively wild, to say the least. The Japanese right-hander allowed one earned run on one hit over four innings.

His control was anything but impressive, though, as he threw only 39 of his 70 pitches for a strike. Overall, Darvish walked three, hit a batter, uncorked a wild pitch and stuck out four batters over four innings.