Julio Alberto Borbon…Born in Starkville, MS where his father, Julio C. Borbon, taught at Mississippi State University…Attended high school at De La Salle in Santo Domingo, D.R., graduating in 2004…His brother, Edwin Borbon, played college baseball at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville and Chattanooga State Junior College…Enjoys reading and fishing…Played 3 seasons at the University of Tennessee…Had .355 career average and ranked 3rd in school history in triples (13) and 9th in hits (223) when he finished…As a junior, led the Vols with a .345 batting average…Earned 2nd team all-SEC honors…Missed almost the entire non-conference schedule after suffering a broken left ankle while sliding into 2nd base during practice, January
17, 2007…Returned to the field on March 20…After sophomore season, played for the 2006 USA Baseball National Team that won a gold medal at the FISU World Championship Tournament in Havana, Cuba…Led Team USA, which went 28-2-1, in hits (44), triples (4), and stolen bases (15), while ranking 2nd on the club with a .364 average…Named to the FISU All-Tournament Team, a tournament which used wood bats…As a freshman, helped lead Vols to the 2005 College World Series…Majored in sport management.
2013
Made the TEX Opening Day roster but was DFA on April 9...Appeared in just one game for TEX in 2013, going 0-for-1 after scoring a run as a PR, April 3 @HOU...Claimed off waivers by CHC on April 19...Appeared in 24 games with Triple-A Iowa (.260/.360/.329) and 72 games with the Cubs (.202/.284/.279), going 12-for-14 in SB at the two stops...In 32 spring training 'A' games, batted .317 (19-60) with 5 doubles, one triple, 9 RBI, 12 runs scored, 8 walks, and 2 stolen bases.
2012
Spent entire campaign with Round Rock...ranked among
the Pacific Coast leaders in hits (2nd, 162), triples (T9th, 8), runs
(T15th, 78), and stolen bases (T16th, 20)...set an Express franchise record in hits...hit career-high 10 home runs after totaling 9 home runs in 264 games over previous 4 minor league
seasons...batted .305 (50-164) with 15 extra-base hits (6 2B, 3
3B, 6 HR) against left-handed pitching and .304 (112-369) with
26 extra-base hits (17 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR) versus right-handers...
batted .389 (7-18) with the bases loaded and .274 (32-117) with
RISP...appeared primarily in centerfield (89 G), while also logging time in left field (40 G)...compiled a .993 fielding percentage
(2 E/292 TC) along with 6 outfield assists...opened the season
batting just .186 (16-86) over first 21 games with Round Rock...
homered in first game of the season on April 5 at Iowa, going
deep for the first time at any level since July 4, 2010 vs. CWS off
Mark Buehrle...batted .390 (46-118) with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 4
home runs, and 16 RBI over next 27 games before landing on
the disabled list...hit 2 home runs on May 17 vs. Fresno, first
game at the minor league level and second as a professional...
was on disabled list May 28-June 6 with right groin strain...compiled a 21-game hit streak from May 12-June 12 (.435, 40-92,
18 R, 8 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 15 RBI), T4th-longest in PCL in 2012...
batted .445 (20-44) over first 10 games upon activation from the
disabled list, but hit .197 (15-76) over final 19 games leading to
the All-Star break...compiled a .311 average (65-209) over final
49 games following the break.
2011
Opened the season with the Rangers and started 28
games in center...was just 7-for-39 (.179) in season's 1st 15 games before hitting .340 (17-50) in final 17 contests...had a 10-game hitting streak from April 30-May 10 at .353 (12-34), one
game shy of a career high...batted .300 (9-30) vs. left-handers
and .450 (9-20) with runners in scoring position...drove in 3 runs
on May 7 vs. New York...had one error in 72 total chances...suffered a strained left hamstring on May 13 vs. the Los Angeles Angels while running down Hank Conger's fly out in the top of the
7th and was placed on the 15-day disabled list the following day.
2010
Led the club in triples (4), was 2nd in sacrifice bunts (8), tied for 3rd in steals (15), and placed 5th in games (137) and at bats (438) ... tied the Angels Erick Aybar for the major league lead in bunt hits (17) and ranked 2nd in majors behind Ichiro Suzuki (59) in infield hits (39), 2nd-most for a Ranger since totals were
1st kept in 1987 behind Otis Nixon (51) in 1995 ... started 39 of final
48 games (47 in CF; one in LF) beginning August 15 ... had a .988
fielding pct. (4 E/343 TC) in 133 total outfield appearances ... stole
potential grand slam from Juan Rivera on Sept. 20 at Los Angeles
(AL) to end the 3rd inning.
2009
Spent the bulk of his season with Triple-A Oklahoma City before making his major league debut with Texas in late June...went on to appear in 46 games for the Rangers across 2 separate stints...stints in the majors were June 29-July 6 and Aug. 7-end of the season...majority of big league starts came in the leadoff spot against right-handed pitching, while splitting time between the designated
hitter role and the outfield...also played in 96 games for the RedHawks in his first career action at the Triple-A level...entered
the season ranked by Baseball America as the 9th-best prospect in the Texas system.
2008
Had a .321 (175-546) average with 87 runs, 32 doubles, 7 homers, 58 RBI, and 53 stolen bases in 126 games at Bakersfield and Frisco...ranks 2nd among Rangers minor leaguers in hits (Renny Osuna-178) and steals (Elvis Andrus-54) and had 4th highest average (2.7 PA/team game)...among all minor leaguers placed 6th in hits and 10th in steals...played center field; and batted leadoff
for both teams.
2007
Made his professional debut with Spokane on Aug. 21 at Everett, going 0-for-3 with a walk...recorded first pro hit in next game on Aug. 22 at Everett...hit safely in each of his final 4 games with the Indians, but did not have an extra base hit in the Northwest League...first pro RBI came Aug. 25 vs. Tri-City...all games came in center field as
leadoff batter...was 3-for-4 in steal attempts, successful in last 3 tries...was sent to Surprise to finish out season in Arizona
League...participated in instructional league after the season.