Can flamethrowing Teodo break camp with Texas ¡­ as a reliever?

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Picture it.

A flamethrowing, homegrown reliever strutting out of the bullpen at Globe Life Field in the ninth inning, preparing to close out games in front of a sold out crowd.

It¡¯s possible for Emiliano Teodo.

Teodo -- the Rangers¡¯ No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- has a fastball in the upper-90s that regularly touches 100+ mph. He¡¯s consistently gotten more and more control over the pitch as he¡¯s matured, making him an even better prospect for the big league club.

Because of that, it¡¯s easy to see why anyone would want to turn him into a reliever. He was even the Arizona Fall League Reliever of the Year in 2023, despite almost exclusively working as a starter throughout his time in the Minors.

But how close is he really to helping out the big league club?

¡°It's hard to put a number on that,¡± said manager Bruce Bochy. ¡°He's close. You don't know. He could break spring with us, to be honest. Yeah, he's partly on the outside looking in, but we think so much about him. The stuff works, he's been starting. But I like him coming from the ¡®pen, too. There's not a lot of arms like this. I think he's knocking on the door.¡±

¡°This is something we are talking about with him. Obviously, as a reliever, you're on a quicker path, probably, but I think he can do both. Sometimes you bring him up, let him relieve, then you go back to starting. Sometimes you keep them in that rotation. So we are talking about his situation.¡±

Teodo has been developed as a starter since the Rangers signed him during the 2019-20 international class out of the Dominican Republic. His command and control issues were initial concerns about his ability to start games, but he¡¯s since thrived during brief stints as a reliever, too.

During his time in the Arizona Fall League in 2023, he did not allow a run over eight appearances (11 innings), scattering three hits and a trio of walks while striking out 19 and to go along with a 0.55 WHIP.

But he still broke out as one of the best starters in the Rangers¡¯ system in 2024, when he posted a 1.98 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) for Double-A Frisco. He averaged 11.47 strikeouts per nine innings last season, ranking second in the Texas League.

¡°My mentality was different back then [before 2023],¡± Teodo said through interpreter Raul Cardenas. ¡°Things started to change for me mentally. I¡¯m trying to be a little bit more focused and more intent with what I do. I used to focus a long time on throwing harder and harder. I was wanting to throw hard instead of having command or hitting my spots. I think something changed. I had a little bit more experience in me that helped a little bit to get away from that.¡±

It¡¯s worth noting that Teodo is on the 40-man roster. It¡¯s obviously not out of the realm of possibility that he¡¯s used as relief help sooner rather than later, even if they see him as a starter in the long term.

Teodo said he is ready for whatever role the team needs him in. If that¡¯s starting, that's perfect because it¡¯s what he¡¯s been working on. If it¡¯s relieving or closing, he¡¯ll do whatever possible to help out. If he ends up as a reliever this year, it¡¯s more so because the big league club has an immediate need for it, not because he hasn¡¯t shown the growth to be a starter.

¡°No. 1 is trying to make the team,¡± Teodo said through Cardenas. ¡°It's not about anything else right now. I want to make that team. I¡¯m trying to develop a way to be better at my pitches, my command, everything. But at the end of the day I want to try to make this team.¡±