Turney Turns Heads At Under Armour All-America Workout

CHICAGO—On Friday, this year’s Under Armour All-Americans worked out in front of a large contingent of scouts at Northwestern University’s Miller Park.

One of those players—Cole Turney (William B. Travis High, Richmond, Texas)—really turned heads. At Northwestern’s ballpark, there’s a building in right field that comes roughly a hundred feet off the ground, and the middle of the building, which nears the power alley in right center, is approximately 410 feet from home plate, according to cursory measurements conducted using Google Maps.

Best power show in the #UAALLAMERICA workout BP was put on by @coleturney14. Hit the building multiple times. pic.twitter.com/Q8hV1pyDiE

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) July 23, 2016

In three rounds of batting practice, Turney smashed several hard home runs off that building in right field. But his home runs weren’t landing just over the fence. They were plunking off the building, still 25-50 feet off the ground when they made impact.

There are some elements to Turney’s swing that may require tweaking down the line, with his back elbow swoop influencing his bat path significantly as his hands drive forward. He was a little cagey at times during BP, and the trajectory of balls off his bat was typically high, so he’ll have to make adjustments if he hopes to hit more line drives. However, the authority with which the ball came off Turney’s bat points to unteachable raw power, at least a plus tool for him. He also threw well from the outfield, showing the potential for an above-average arm strength, and he has run well at previous events.

Turney fits into a phylum of players that appears to be an early theme of the 2017 draft class: prep outfielders oozing with measurable tools whose ability to use their tools will dictate their ultimate ceilings. Fellow Under Armour All-Americans who fit this profile include Jordon Adell and Conner Uselton, each of whom showed raw power in batting practice on Friday.

But the toolsy outfielders weren’t the only ones to open eyes.

• Florida shortstop Brady McConnell continues to show explosive raw tools. He showed arguably the best bat speed of any player at the workout and he has arm strength for the left side of the infield, though his throws tend to show sinking movement and he can sometimes underthrow his target.

• New Jersey shortstop Andrew Papantonis, one of three All-Americans that Baseball America had not previously seen, showed outstanding hands in the infield and laced a few hard line drives in batting practice. Papantonis, a Virginia commit, has not played at many high-profile events, but his workout proved that he belongs at this event.

• Florida catcher M.J. Melendez, who is moving to Florida because his father Mervyl Melendez was recently hired to be the head coach at Florida International, has shown quick-twitch athleticism for quite some time. He has some mechanical issues to overcome in his throwing and in his swing, but Melendez has plus raw arm strength and quick hands in the batter’s box.

On Saturday, those players will take the field at Wrigley Field. The game begins at 4 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on MLB Network.