Johnni Turbo Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3708
AVG	.275
OBP	.319
SLG	.373
HR	45

Full name Johnni Elijah Turbo
Born 12/09/1988 in Los Angeles, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Westchester
Drafted in the 4th round (127th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006 (signed for $250,000).

View Draft Report

USC recruit D'Arby Myers also was expected to get to school unless a club believes in his bat, which is probably too raw for him to contribute to the Trojans as a freshman. Scouts think Myers will need plenty of at-bats to get it at the plate. He's a premier athlete, however, with above-average speed, excellent range in center field and a solid-average arm. His wiry strength leads scouts to project him to hit for power if he does put it together as a hitter. His signability is a question because education is a high priority for his family.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After a surprising debut pro debut in 2006, Myers took a step back at Williamsport last year. He batted .391 in the first two weeks before pitchers adjusted and he couldn't counter. He hit just .145 the rest of the way before his season ended in mid-August with a slight fracture in his right pinky, though he was healthy for instructional league. His pitch recognition is a liability, as he scuffles with soft breaking balls away from him. Lefthanders exploited this weakness, holding him to a .458 OPS. He's similar to Greg Golson in that he has a huge ceiling but is a long ways from reaching it because he's still raw in many phases of the game. Myers is a plus runner with the potential to hit for average and emerging power. He also has the tools to become an above-average defender in center field, including a solid arm. He needs to improve his instincts in all phases of the game, however. He doesn't control the strike zone or bunt as well as he needs to if he's going to profile as a leadoff hitter. He also has to do a better job of getting jumps on the bases and in the outfield. Myers will work on those aspects of the game in low Class A this season.
Many clubs showed interest in Myers prior to the 2006 draft, and some teams originally had him slated as a second- or third-round pick, but his commitment to Southern California made it hard to get a read on his signability. The Phillies had the right info and popped him in the fourth round, signing him for $250,000. A plus runner, Myers also showed he could hit for average and power in his debut in the Gulf Coast League and carried that over into instructional league. Myers has a compact stroke that produces line drives to all fields, though he needs to recognize pitches better and work deeper counts. His route-running is suspect at times, but he has great closing speed. If he's going to remain a center fielder, he'll need to continue to work on getting better reads off the bat. Myers has all five tools, and some officials in the organization say his ceiling is higher than Golson's. He'll compete for a job in low Class A this spring.

Minor League Top Prospects

Myers figured to complement a banner 2006 recruiting class at Southern California until he accepted a $250,000 bonus as a fourth-round pick in June. That he signed was somewhat surprising, but even more so was his performance in his debut. Considered toolsy but extremely raw, he made significant strides in his swing and approach and tied for third in the GCL in batting. Myers' swing gets long but he showed above-average bat speed at times. He needs to improve his plate discipline and work counts more efficiently. He's wiry strong, and though he rarely showed power in games, he could hit 12-15 home runs annually. His well above-average speed is his best tool. Myers played all three outfield positions in the GCL and has the range to stay in center field. His reads and routes are raw, while his arm strength is average.

Career Transactions

Gastonia Honey Hunters signed free agent CF Johnni Turbo.
Frederick Baseball Club released CF Johnni Turbo.
Long Island Ducks traded CF Johnni Turbo to Frederick Baseball Club for Player To Be Named Later.
Frederick Baseball Club activated CF Johnni Turbo.