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. Prior to joining the Mariners, he played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Tellez has also represented the Mexico national baseball team in international competition. His career primarily focuses on his role as a first baseman in Major League Baseball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2013: Assigned to Gulf Coast League Blue Jays

In 2013, Tellez was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, where he batted .234 in 34 games. He was recognized by Baseball America as the best power hitter in the Blue Jays minor league organization.

2013: High School All-American

In 2013, Tellez was named a Baseball America and Rawlings First Team High School All-American. He was also drafted by the Blue Jays in the 30th round of the Major League Baseball draft that year.

2013: Drafted by the Blue Jays

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

2014: Time with Bluefield Blue Jays and Lansing Lugnuts

During the 2014 season, Tellez played primarily with the Bluefield Blue Jays and earned a late-season promotion to the Lansing Lugnuts. He played a total of 65 games and batted .305.

2015: Midwest League All-Star and Promotion

In 2015, Tellez started the season with Lansing and was named Midwest League Player of the Week in May. He was named a Midwest League midseason All-Star and promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays in late June. He was also named Florida State League Player of the Week in June. He ended the season on the disabled list, but set career highs with a .289 batting average in 103 games.

2015: Midwest League All-Star

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

2016: Eastern League All-Star

In 2016, Tellez was named an Eastern League mid-season and full-season All-Star. He had a stellar season, posting new career bests in almost every offensive category including a .297 batting average and 23 home runs.

2017: Declined WBC Roster Spot

In 2017, Mexico offered Tellez a spot on their WBC roster, but he declined to focus on making the Blue Jays' major league roster.

2017: Assigned 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 in 122 games. He was added to Toronto's 40-man roster on November 20.

September 5, 2018: Major League Debut

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

September 2018: Performance in September 2018

In September 2018, Tellez played 23 games and batted .314/.329/.614 with Toronto, hitting 9 doubles, 4 home runs, and 14 RBIs.

2018: Called up by Blue Jays

In 2018, Tellez began the season with the Buffalo Bisons and was ranked 29th on MLB's Top 30 Blue Jays prospects list. He was called up by the Blue Jays on September 4.

2018: MLB Debut

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

2019: Time with Buffalo

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

2019: Opening Day Roster and Home Run

In 2019, Tellez made the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster. On April 11, he hit a home run with a 115.2 mph exit velocity, which was the fastest for a Toronto Blue Jays home run in the Statcast era (since 2015).

2020: Performance in Shortened Season

During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Tellez batted .283/.346/.540 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs for Toronto. On defense he played error-free baseball.

2020: Home Run Exit Velocity

In 2020, Tellez hit a home run with an exit velocity of 117.4 mph, the highest for a home run by a Blue Jay in the Statcast era.

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: Regular Season with Brewers

During the 2021 regular season for the Brewers, Tellez batted .272/.333/.481 with seven home runs in 174 plate appearances.

2021: Postseason Performance

In 2021, Tellez hit home runs in Games 1 and 4 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. He hit two home runs, which were his only hits in 10 at bats in the playoffs.

May 4, 2022: Brewers Record

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

2022: Home Run Frequency Ranking

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

2022: Performance in 2022

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

January 13, 2023: Contract 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 in World Baseball Classic

In 2023, Tellez played for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) as a designated hitter, slashing .280/.333/.440 with one home run and five RBI.

2023: Regular Season Stats and Free Agency

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

2024: Home Run Rate Decline

By the end of 2024, Rowdy Tellez's home run rate declined to one home run every 19.7 plate appearances, which was worse than Ryan Braun and Al Rosen.

2024: Season with Pirates

In 2024, Tellez played 131 games for the Pirates, slashing .243/.299/.392 with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs. His .998 fielding percentage was second-highest among MLB first basemen. He was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh on September 24 and released the next day.