Jacob Turner, RHP Detroit Tigers
DOB – 5/21/1991
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 210
Turner was drafted by the Tigers in the 1st round of the 2009 draft straight out of High School. He was already a very projection worthy starter at the time with a strong frame and mid 90s fastball. His secondaries were average but his curveball projects out at plus and his changeup will be an above average pitch if given enough time to develop. Let’s take a look deeper in the skill set and the future of the Tigers.
Even though he has electric stuff, he’s been unable to dominate lower level hitters the way one would expect. His K rate of 20.2% in 2010 and 19% so far in 2011 attest to a pitcher who isn’t savvy enough to set up hitters the way he should. While some may look at the low strike out totals and see a pitcher who may not be dominant, I’m of the belief right now that he’s simply being moved too quickly and hasn’t had a chance to grow into what he’ll one day be.
Jacob Turner, RHP Detroit Tigers
Here is our preseason ranking of Turner in our Top 100 Prospect List for 2011:
20. Jacob Turner SP DET – Turner needs time to develop his secondaries to match his plus plus FB. He has a workhorse frame and could be an upper level #2 starter in DET in due time. The Tigers will push his limits but should have learned enough from the Porcello Project to let Turner fully develop.
Let’s take a look at some video taken by Dave Reiffer from our YouTube Channel:
OUR INSTINCT
With 2 plus pitches and a changeup that should be good enough to keep major league hitters guessing we’re looking at a skill set of a #2 starter. That was my preseason belief and it remains the same. I also think the Tigers have done exactly what I had feared. They’re putting this kid in a position to fail instead of giving a 20 year old the opportunity to mature. With his lack of strikeout dominance at this point in his career, it will be difficult working his way through the American League much like it was for Rick Porcello. That type of learning curve can cause a kid to look for shortcuts that do not lead to maximizing his true skill set and in the end when a potential ace coming out of the draft becomes a #4 starter it’s considered a failure. Fair or not, that is how Porcello is viewed and that is how Turner will be viewed if the Tigers don’t catch this falling knife. In a world where being a #4 starter means that you are in fact one of a miniscule number of people to be talented enough to perform on the highest stage and you are also considered a failure, it will be tough not to look back on his early call up and second guess.
I didn’t think Turner belonged in Double-A to start the season and should have started back in FSL. A midseason jump to Double-A, much like Shelby Miller made, would have given him a period of dominance to build his psyche on. That dominance breeds an elite mentality that can’t be taught, it can only be experienced.
We’ll be following Turner closely and hoping this big league stint is a short one. Check back soon for a look at the Top FSL Prospects starting with the hitters including one Jonathan Singleton recently traded to the Houston Astros and Zolio Almonte of the New York Yankees system.
