Karl Triana

Karl Lewis Triana De Alba

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• Born October 7, 1992 in Cartagena, Bolívar Colombia

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Karl Triana made his pro debut in 2011.

Triana signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in January 2011; the scout was Junior Noboa. In his pro debut, Triana went 3-5 with a 3.06 ERA for the DSL Diamondbacks, with only 14 walks in 67 2/3 IP. In 2012, he was with the AZL Diamondbacks (1 UER in 5 IP) and Missoula Osprey (5-5, 5.64). He tied for 7th in the Pioneer League in wins and tied for 10th in losses. He then pitched for the Colombian national team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. He got the start in the semifinals against host Panama but took the loss in a 9-7 decision. In the first, he walked Rubén Tejada and Carlos Ruiz and plunked Rubén Rivera but escaped without allowing a run, getting Jose Macias to end it. In the 2nd, his woes continued when Ángel Chávez and Concepción Rodríguez both singled. Manager Eduardo Perez had seen enough and replaced the 20-year-old with Ronald Ramirez, who fared no better.

Karl split the summer of 2013 between Missoula (0-1, 5.68) and the Hillsboro Hops (1-1, 4.60). He finished his US pro career at 10-12, 5.23 in 33 games (30 starts). He helped Colombia win the 2015 South American Championship to earn their first Pan American Games spot since the 1970s. In the 2015 Pan American Games, he was easily Colombia's most effective hurler. He started against Nicaragua and held them to two runs in seven (6 H, 3 BB, 6 K), departing with a 4-2 lead, but the bullpen blew it and Colombia wound up losing. His 2.57 ERA was less than half the runner-up, Nabil Crismatt (5.40), on a team with a 7.01 ERA overall.

He made a tremendous start in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in Panama City on March 18, 2016, as he started the match-up of first-game winners for Colombia against host Panama and came through with 6 hitless innings to send his team to the group finals with a 6-3 win. He allowed an unearned run on errors by Carlos Vidal and Dilson Herrera before being relieved by Carlos Diaz; Triana got the win. He fanned 8 to tie Berman Espinoza for the most in the first 3 qualifiers; he was double the team's #2 hurler in that department, Crismatt. It was part of a stellar starting effort by Colombia in the tourney as William Cuevas tossed four shutout innings in the opener and Crismatt blanked Panama for the first three in the finale as Colombia's starters kicked off the event with 13 consecutive innings without an earned run. Colombia rode its starters to a spot in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, their first World Baseball Classic berth. He was 4-4 with a 3.50 ERA for the Gary SouthShore RailCats in 2016. He helped Colombia to a Bronze Medal in the 2016 South American Championship, pitching two shutout innings in the round-robin stage but getting rocked for four hits and three runs (two earned) in 2/3 of an inning against Argentina in the semifinals.

In the 2017 World Baseball Classic, he relieved Crismatt in the 4th with a 3-1 deficit against the defending champion Dominican national team. He quieted their powerful hitters for three innings (4 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and was replaced by Ernesto Frieri with a 3-2 game; Colombia would tie it but lost in extra innings to blow their upset bid. He impressed enough to win a return to the organized minors with the Baltimore Orioles' Frederick Keys affiliate but struggled (2-2, 5.95 in 10 G, despite 22 K in 19 2/3 IP). Back with Colombia for the 2017 Bolivarian Games, he got the start in the Gold Medal game, hoping to stop Panama once again. He allowed seven hits and four runs in 7 1/3 IP, fanning three and walking none, and got the win over Panama and Andy Otero; Kevin Escorcia took over for Triana in the 8th and Jhon Romero saved the 6-4 victory.

Sources

• 2012 Diamondbacks Media Guide
• World Baseball Classic
• 2015 Pan American Games
• 2016 South American Championship Final Report
• Colombian Baseball Federation