Career Timeline of Rowdy Tellez: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Rowdy Tellez built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Rowdy Tellez is an American professional baseball first baseman currently playing for the Seattle Mariners in MLB. He previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Tellez has also played for the Mexico national baseball team, showcasing his talent on an international stage.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2002: Rookie with home runs

For the season with Toronto, Tellez batted .227/.293/.449 with 21 home runs and 51 RBIs in 409 plate appearances. Tellez became the third Blur Jays rookie to hit 21 or more home runs, joining Eric Hinske (24 in 2002) and J.P. Arencibia (23 in 2011).

2011: Rookie with home runs

2013: Assignment to Gulf Coast League Blue Jays

For the rest of 2013, Tellez was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, where he batted .234 with two home runs and 20 RBIs in 34 games. Baseball America rated him the best power hitter in the Blue Jays minor league organization.

2013: Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays

In 2013, Tellez was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 30th round of the Major League Baseball draft and signed with them for a signing bonus of $850,000.

2014: Time with Bluefield Blue Jays and Lansing Lugnuts

In 2014, Tellez played most of the season with the Bluefield Blue Jays of the Appalachian League and later earned a promotion to the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League. Across 65 games in 2014, he batted .305 with six home runs and 43 RBIs.

2015: Midwest League All-Star and AFL Honors

In 2015, Tellez started the season with Lansing and earned several distinctions: Midwest League Player of the Week, Midwest League midseason All-Star, and later, selection to the AFL All-Prospect Team and AFL Rising Stars. He also played for the Salt River Rafters and achieved career-highs in multiple stats.

2015: Midwest League All-Star and AFL All-Prospect Team

In 2015, Tellez was named a Midwest League All-Star and was selected for the Arizona Fall League (AFL) All-Prospect Team and as an AFL Rising Star.

2016: Eastern League All-Star and Organization All-Star

In 2016, Tellez was named an Eastern League mid-season and full-season All-Star. He also received recognition as an MiLB.com Toronto Blue Jays Organization All-Star and a Baseball America Double-A All-Star. He had a stellar 2016 season, posting new career bests in almost every offensive category.

2017: Assignment to Buffalo Bisons

In 2017, Tellez was assigned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in late March. He struggled in Triple-A, hitting .222 with six home runs and 56 RBI in 122 games. On November 20, Tellez was added to Toronto's 40-man roster.

September 5, 2018: Major League Debut

On September 5, 2018, Tellez made his Major League debut with the Blue Jays, hitting a first-pitch, pinch-hit double against the Tampa Bay Rays in his first at bat.

September 2018: Performance in September 2018

In September 2018, Tellez played 23 games with Toronto, achieving a batting average of .314/.329/.614. He recorded 9 doubles, 4 home runs, and 14 RBIs across 73 plate appearances.

2018: Called up by Blue Jays

In 2018, Tellez began the season with the Buffalo Bisons. On September 4, Tellez was called up by the Blue Jays after the end of Buffalo's season.

2018: Major League Debut

In 2018, Tellez made his major league debut. He then became the only player since 1913 to hit seven doubles in his first seven major league games.

2019: Time with Buffalo Bisons

In 2019, Tellez also played 26 games with Buffalo, batting .366/.450/.688 with 7 home runs and 21 RBIs in 109 plate appearances.

2019: Opening Day Roster and High Exit Velocity Home Run

Tellez made the Blue Jays' 2019 Opening Day roster. On April 11, he hit a home run with a 115.2 mph exit velocity, the fastest for a Toronto Blue Jays home run in the Statcast era (since 2015), later surpassed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

2020: Highest Exit Velocity Home Run

In 2020, on August 20, Tellez hit a home run with an exit velocity of 117.4 mph, marking the highest for a Blue Jay in the Statcast era and the third-highest among all major leaguers for the year.

2020: Performance in Shortened Season

In the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Tellez batted .283/.346/.540, hitting eight home runs and 23 RBIs, with 20 strikeouts in 127 plate appearances. He played error-free baseball on defense.

July 6, 2021: Traded to Milwaukee Brewers

On July 6, 2021, Tellez was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for pitchers Trevor Richards and Bowden Francis.

2021: Postseason Performance in 2021

In the 2021 postseason, Tellez hit a two-run home run in Game 1 of the National League Division Series and another in Game 4. However, these were his only hits in 10 at bats, and the Brewers lost the series to the Atlanta Braves.

2021: Regular Season Performance with Brewers

In the 2021 regular season for the Brewers, Tellez batted .272/.333/.481, hitting 10 doubles, seven home runs, and 28 RBIs in 174 plate appearances.

May 4, 2022: Brewers Record for RBIs in One Game

On May 4, 2022, Tellez set a Brewers record with eight RBIs in one game, hitting two home runs, a double, and a single in an 18–4 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

2022: Home Run Frequency Among Jewish Major Leaguers

In 2022, Rowdy Tellez ranked third in career home run frequency among Jewish major leaguers, with a home run every 17.46 at bats, behind Hank Greenberg and Joc Pederson.

2022: 2022 Season Statistics

In 2022, Tellez batted .219/.306/.461 with 35 home runs, 89 RBIs, and a .998 fielding percentage. His .998 fielding percentage was second-best among NL first basemen, and the best in franchise history.

January 13, 2023: Contract Agreement with Brewers

On January 13, 2023, Tellez agreed to a one-year, $4.95 million contract with the Brewers, avoiding salary arbitration.

December 15, 2023: Signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates

On December 15, 2023, Tellez signed a one-year, $3.2 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with incentives that could increase his salary up to $4 million.

2023: Played for Mexico in World Baseball Classic

In 2023, Tellez played for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic as a designated hitter.

2023: Regular Season Performance and Free Agency

In the 2023 regular season, Tellez batted .215/.291/.376 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. Tellez was non-tendered and became a free agent on November 17, 2023.