Jacob Turner starts the year at Double A Erie
The DNews has a list of the top prospects going into this year, good to see so many familiar names. ESPN ranked the Tigers farm system at 25th; I don't think they give them enough credit. We've had some really good talent come through here in the past few years.
Number one on the DNews list is Whitecap darling Jacob Turner, and he ranked No. 22 on ESPN's overall list.
1. Jacob Turner
Age: 19
Pos.: Right-handed pitcher
Outlook: When it already has been decided a 19-year-old right-hander will begin at Double A, you know how quickly the Tigers anticipate Turner could slide into the starting rotation. It could happen this season for a 6-foot-5, 210-pounder who, unless he gets hurt, stands to become one of the game's elite. Only 19 months out of high school, Turner has a three-pitch package of power and precision. The Tigers paid him a big-league contract in 2009 ($4.7 million). And they haven't regretted a penny of it.
He did have a few problems with soreness at West Michigan, but I also think they were holding him back a bit too. Straight out of high school, you don't want to blow his arm with too much work. Second on the list was 3B Nick Castellanos who they drafted just last year; hoping he starts out here in WM in 2011.
I have a bunch of Caps pictures I never got around to processing last year - will work on those soon, maybe revamp the whole baseball collection on Flickr. It will keep me busy until the season starts...