Julio Teheran and Evan Gattis receive 2013 Rookie of the Year votes

October 6, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran (49) speaks with catcher Brian McCann (16) during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

While neither was a “serious” contender for the 2013 National League Rookie of the Year award, both starting pitcher Julio Teheran and catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis finished in the top-10 of voting (announced yesterday).

In a normal season (one that didn’t include a historic debut from Jose Fernandez or the mania that was Yasiel Puig), Teheran’s numbers would have placed him firmly in contention. The 22-year-old right-hander threw 185.2 quality innings, posting a 3.20 ERA, and turning in his peripherals including a 8.24 K/9 and a 2.18 BB/9 on the year. That was good enough for him to earn 2.4 WAR (according to FanGraphs) and place him 26th among all National League pitchers.

As for Gattis, his debut season was headlined by the power explosion that he displayed early (creating the El Oso Blanco craze), but for the full campaign, his numbers were still quite solid. Gattis blasted 21 home runs in just 382 plate appearances, and while his defensive metrics (mostly in the outfield) kept his overall “value” low, a .480 slugging percentage from a primary catcher would be a win for almost any organization.

The final voting placed Teheran 5th among rookies with 7 3rd-place votes, and Gattis tied for 7th (with Colorado’s Nolan Arenado) on the strength of 1 3rd-place vote among the 30 ballots. It’s tough to argue that either was “deserving” of the award in a world that features Jose Fernandez, but it’s nice to see the young guys (if Gattis is considered young at 27) get some love.