Jacob Turner

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2012
  Turner was a dominant high school pitcher both for Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis) and on the showcase circuit. At the 2008 Aflac All-American Game, he struck out five straight hitters. While at Westminster Christian, he benefited from the tutelage of pitching coach Todd Worrell, a former all-star closer, and also soaked up knowledge from ex big leaguers Andy Benes and Mike Matheny, who had sons on the team. Though Turner's signability worried some clubs, the Tigers were undeterred and drafted him with the ninth overall pick in 2009. They lured him away from a North Carolina commitment with a $5.5 million big league contract that included a $4.7 million bonus, a record at the time for a prep pitcher. He pitched well at two Class A stops during his first season in pro ball in 2010, then pitched in the Futures Game and made an emergency start in Detroit last July. The first high school pick from the 2009 draft to reach the majors, he returned for two more starts in September. Turner is still just 20 and extremely polished for his age, showing remarkable feel for pitching and maturity. Big and athletic, he repeats his smooth delivery well and is a prolific strike-thrower, averaging just 2.2 walks per nine innings as a pro. He works from a three-quarters arm slot and gets good angle on his two- and four-seam fastballs. Turner sits at 90-94 mph and touches 95 with late, heavy life, which helps him keep the ball on the ground and in the park. His fastball usually isn't a swing-and-miss pitch but his curveball and his changeup both can miss bats and grade from average to plus. His curveball is a high-70s hammer at times though still inconsistent, and he leaned on it more than his changeup when he got to the big leagues. Some scouts think his changeup could end up being as good or better than his curve. He sells his changeup with deceptive arm speed and, while in the minors, showed a willingness to throw it even when behind in the count. Turner has a tall, slender frame and will have to continue to strengthen his body to endure the grind of the long pro season. He has had minor elbow and shoulder stiffness early in 2011, but he recovered easily and never has had any major health concerns. Detroit is looking for a fifth starter and Turner could compete for that job in spring training. He wasn't quite ready when the Tigers called him up in July, but he cruised at Triple-A Toledo after they sent him back down. The most likely scenario is that Turner opens 2012 in Triple-A and arrives in the majors quickly if he gets off to a good start. While he doesn't have the pure stuff of an ace, he has the repertoire and command to be a No. 2 or 3 starter in the big leagues. While he didn't reach Detroit quite as fast as fellow high school first-rounder Rick Porcello, Turner has better stuff and a brighter future.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2011
  Turner rated as the top righthander in a standout class of high school arms in the 2009 draft. He dominated on the showcase circuit the previous summer, highlighted by five straight strikeouts at the Aflac All-America Game, then added some polish as a senior at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis. His pitching coach was former all-star closer Todd Worrell, and ex-big leaguers Andy Benes and Mike Matheny also had sons on the team. To their credit, the Tigers never let a lecture from Bud Selig scare them away from getting the top player on their draft board, so they took Turner with the No. 9 overall pick and signed him away from a commitment to North Carolina with a $5.5 million big league contract. The deal included a $4.7 million bonus, setting a since-broken record for a high school pitcher. Turner signed too late to pitch in the minors in 2009, and he made just one appearance in instructional league before developing shoulder stiffness and getting shut down as a precaution. Turner made his pro debut in April but made just two starts at low Class A West Michigan before getting sidelined again with minor elbow stiffness. He returned three weeks later and made 21 more starts without incident, earning a promotion to high Class A Lakeland in June. Turner has the ideal frame for a power pitcher. He throws both two- and four-seam fastballs, sitting at 92-94 mph and peaking at 96. In addition to its easily above-average velocity, Turner's fastball also has heavy sink. While Turner was polished for a prep pitcher, he was able to carve up high school lineups by simply blowing his heater by hitters, so he entered pro ball with secondary pitches that needed refinement. He made strides with both his curveball and changeup in 2010. He throws a 12-6 curve that can get a little short but also shows glimpses of being an upper-70s hammer. His changeup should become at least a solid third pitch, with a chance to be better. Turner throws strikes but will need to sharpen his command within the strike zone as he climbs the ladder. Doing so shouldn't be a problem because he's a good athlete with a strong work ethic and relatively clean mechanics though his delivery could use a little more fluidity. Turner shows terrific savvy and mound presence for his age, mixing his pitches well and rarely gets rattled. He has the swagger scouts want to see in a pitcher projected for the front of a major league rotation. He still has to add the strength to take the ball every fifth day and work deeper into games. He averaged fewer than five innings per start in 2010 and has never pitched in the 7th inning. Turner likely will start 2011 where he finished 2010, in Lakeland. But the Tigers are not shy about promoting their prospects, so he could make the jump to Double-A Erie by the beginning of June. If he continues to progress like he did last season, he could make it to Detroit before the end of 2012. Turner won't reach the big leagues as quickly as Rick Porcello, who went from a high school first-rounder to the big leagues in 22 months, but he has a higher ceiling.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2010
  After an excellent summer on the showcase circuit, which included striking out five straight batters at the Aflac All-America Game, Turner positioned himself as a mid-first-round pick for the 2009 draft. He looked sharper and sharper as the spring progressed, boosting his stock to where he was the consensus top high school righthander available in a standout class of prep arms. His price tag and choice of Scott Boras as his adviser scared some teams off, but the Tigers aren't afraid to gamble in the draft and selected him with the ninth overall pick. He signed at the Aug. 17 deadline, getting a $4.7 million bonus--the highest ever for a high school pitcher--as part of a $5.5 million major league contract. Signing that late didn't allow Turner to make his pro debut in 2009, but he enters the system more polished than most high schoolers. His pitching coach at Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis) was former all-star Todd Worrell, and ex-big leaguers Andy Benes and Mike Matheny also had sons on the team. Turner's older brother Ben formed the other half of his battery growing up and now catches for Missouri. If Turner hadn't signed, he would have attended North Carolina, which also had a commitment from Missouri's top prep pitcher in 2008, Royals righthander Tim Melville. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Turner has an ideal pitcher's frame and the stuff to match. He throws his four-seam fastball at 92-94 mph and will touch 97-98 multiple times per game. He gets good, late action on his fastball and locates it to both sides of the plate. He'll also mix in two-seamers on occasion. Turner's curveball isn't as good as his heater, but it projects as a future plus pitch. He throws it between 78-83 mph with good depth and sharp 12-to-6 break. His changeup should be a solid third pitch as he gets more experience with it. A good athlete, he has smooth mechanics and the ball comes out of his hand cleanly with explosive late life. Turner is still a little inconsistent with his curveball, though that's typical for high school pitchers, especially those that can blow fastballs by their competition so easily. His changeup will need to be refined if he's going to turn over pro lineups a few times every five days. Mostly, Turner just needs to pitch more and face quality competition. He made just one outing in the instructional league because he developed some shoulder stiffness and the Tigers shut him down. They were just being cautious, and there are no major concerns about his health. Detroit scouting director David Chadd historically favors college players. When he takes a high schooler with an early pick, he has made some terrific choices, including Jon Lester in the second round in 2002 (with the Red Sox) and Rick Porcello in the first round in 2007. Turner profiles as a top-of-the-rotation starter and likely will begin his pro career at low Class A West Michigan. He may not race to the majors as quickly as Porcello--who was regarded as a slightly better prospect at the same stage of his career--but Turner shouldn't require much seasoning either. He could be pitching in Detroit by the end of 2011.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #8 prospect in 2012
  Turner earns comparisons to Rick Porcello as a prep first-round pick who was rushed through the Tigers system and lost some of his power stuff in the process. After he got knocked around in six big league starts over the last two years, Detroit used him as the centerpiece of the trade that pried Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante from the Marlins in July. Scouts still see Turner as a big league starter while tempering expectations that he'll dominate. His strikeout rate has diminished in each of his three pro seasons, as has his velocity, which now sits at 89-92 mph and maxes out at 94. He relies more on the pitch's movement, throwing sinking two-seamers, riding four-seamers and cutters. Turner's inconsistent fastball command keeps him from getting ahead enough to get strikeouts with his plus curveball, his best pitch. He rarely uses his changeup. He has a durable frame and took every turn after starting the season on the shelf with shoulder tendinitis.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #5 prospect in 2011
  The ninth overall pick in 2009, Turner became the first high school pitcher from that draft class to reach the majors. Scouts and managers thought he wasn't ready when he got the call in July, but also agreed he had as much upside as any EL pitcher this year thanks to his combination of size, stuff and polish. Turner's low-90s fastball has late, heavy life and he needs to use it more often. His curveball lacks consistency but both it and his changeup are above-average at times. His control and command are advanced for his age. "He's big, he's got angle, he can pitch and the fastball will play," a second AL scout said. "He needs to pitch off the fastball more but there's still projection there too. And I think the curveball will be plus."
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #4 prospect in 2010
  The Tigers gave Turner a $4.7 million bonus (a record for a high school pitcher) after drafting him ninth overall in 2009, so they held their breath when he came down with forearm stiffness in his second pro start this April. But he turned out to be fine after sitting out for three weeks. With stuff as good as advertised, he pitched his way to high Class A before the end of June. Using an easy delivery, Turner regularly pitches in the low 90s and touches 95 mph with his fastball, which has heavy, boring life. His hard curveball can be just as devastating, arriving in the upper 70s with 12-to-6 break. He's making progress with his changeup and has advanced command for a teenager.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #3 prospect in 2010
  Though he was only 19 and in his first pro season, Turner had no problem with more experienced FSL hitters and performed better in Lakeland than he did in the low Class A Midwest League. His best asset is his 91-94 mph fastball, which has heavy sink that earned him some Brad Penny comparisons. Turner also commands his heater well. Turner's 12-to-6 curveball is a plus pitch at times, and his changeup has a chance to become above-average as well. He did have to learn that high Class A hitters don't chase pitches out of the zone as much as they do in low Class A, but once he figured out, he didn't allow an earned run in six of his last 10 starts.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #22 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #21 prospect in 2011
• Ranked Baseball America's #26 prospect in 2010

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Turner was a dominant high school pitcher both for Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis) and on the showcase circuit. At the 2008 Aflac All-American Game, he struck out five straight hitters. While at Westminster Christian, he benefited from the tutelage of pitching coach Todd Worrell, a former all-star closer, and also soaked up knowledge from ex-big leaguers Andy Benes and Mike Matheny, who each had sons on the team. Though Turner's signability worried some clubs at the time, the Tigers were undeterred and drafted him with the ninth overall pick in 2009. They were able to lure him away from a North Carolina commitment with a $5.5 million big league contract that included a $4.7 million bonus, a record at the time for a prep pitcher. He pitched well at two Class A stops during his first season in pro ball in 2010, then pitched in the Futures Game and made an emergency start for Detroit last July. The first high school pick from the 2009 draft to reach the majors, Turner returned to Detroit for two more starts in September. Scouting Report: Turner is still just 20 and extremely polished for his age, showing remarkable feel for pitching and maturity. Big and athletic, he repeats his smooth delivery well and is a prolific strike-thrower, averaging just 2.2 walks per nine innings as a pro. He works from a three-quarters arm slot and gets good angle on his two- and four-seam fastballs. Turner sits at 90-94 mph and touches 95 with late, heavy life, which helps him keep the ball on the ground and in the ballpark. His fastball usually isn't a swing-and-miss pitch but his curveball and his changeup both can miss bats and grade from average to plus. Turner's curveball is a high-70s hammer at times though still inconsistent, and he leaned on it more than his changeup when he got to the big leagues. There are some scouts who think that his changeup could end up being just as good if not better than his curve. He sells his changeup with deceptive arm speed and, while in the minors, showed a willingness to throw it even when behind in the count. Turner has a tall, slender frame and will have to continue to strengthen his body to endure the grind of the long pro season. He has had minor elbow and shoulder stiffness early in 2011, but he recovered easily and never has had any major health concerns. The Future: Detroit is looking for a fifth starter for 2012 and Turner could compete for that job during spring training. Turner wasn't quite ready when the Tigers called him up last year in July, but he cruised at Triple-A Toledo after they sent him back down to the Mud Hens. The most likely scenario is that Turner opens 2012 in Triple-A and arrives in the majors quickly if he is able to get off to a good start out of the gate. While he doesn't have the pure stuff of a true ace pitcher, he has the repertoire and command to be a No. 2 or 3 starter in the big leagues. While he didn't reach Detroit quite as fast as fellow high school first-rounder Rick Porcello, Turner has better stuff and a brighter future.
• December, 2009 Scouting Report
  After an excellent summer on the showcase circuit, which included striking out five straight batters at the Aflac All-America Game, Turner positioned himself as a mid-first-round pick for the 2009 draft. He looked sharper and sharper as the spring progressed, boosting his stock to where he was the consensus top high school righthander available in a standout class of prep arms. His price tag and choice of Scott Boras as his adviser scared some teams off, but the Tigers aren't afraid to gamble in the draft and selected him with the ninth overall pick. He signed at the Aug. 17 deadline, getting a $4.7 million bonus--the highest ever for a high school pitcher--as part of a $5.5 million major league contract. Signing that late didn't allow Turner to make his pro debut in 2009, but he enters the system more polished than most high schoolers. His pitching coach at Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis) was former all-star Todd Worrell, and ex-big leaguers Andy Benes and Mike Matheny also had sons on the team. Turner's older brother Ben formed the other half of his battery growing up and now catches for Missouri. If Turner hadn't signed, he would have attended North Carolina, which also had a commitment from Missouri's top prep pitcher in 2008, Royals righthander Tim Melville. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Turner has an ideal pitcher's frame and the stuff to match. He throws his four-seam fastball at 92-94 mph and will touch 97-98 multiple times per game. He gets good, late action on his fastball and locates it to both sides of the plate. He'll also mix in two-seamers on occasion. Turner's curveball isn't as good as his heater, but it projects as a future plus pitch. He throws it between 78-83 mph with good depth and sharp 12-to-6 break. His changeup should be a solid third pitch as he gets more experience with it. A good athlete, he has smooth mechanics and the ball comes out of his hand cleanly with explosive late life. Turner is still a little inconsistent with his curveball, though that's typical for high school pitchers, especially those that can blow fastballs by their competition so easily. His changeup will need to be refined if he's going to turn over pro lineups a few times every five days. Mostly, Turner just needs to pitch more and face quality competition. He made just one outing in the instructional league because he developed some shoulder stiffness and the Tigers shut him down. They were just being cautious, and there are no major concerns about his health. Detroit scouting director David Chadd historically favors college players. When he takes a high schooler with an early pick, he has made some terrific choices, including Jon Lester in the second round in 2002 (with the Red Sox) and Rick Porcello in the first round in 2007. Turner profiles as a top-of-the-rotation starter and likely will begin his pro career at low Class A West Michigan. He may not race to the majors as quickly as Porcello--who was regarded as a slightly better prospect at the same stage of his career--but Turner shouldn't require much seasoning either. He could be pitching in Detroit by the end of 2011.