What's left for Jacob Turner? Potentially a lot.
Jacob Turner was DFA'd by the Miami Marlins after posting a 5.97 ERA in 20 games this season, including 12 starts. The former 9th overall pick is still just 23 years old and his best baseball seasons could be ahead of him.
At 6'€™5"€, 215 pounds, Turner looks every bit the part of a dominant major-league pitcher. I watched him live earlier this season and my eyes welled with optimism for this young man'€™s potential, but it didn't take long to realize the frustration the Marlins and Tigers likely had with him.
Turner has issues repeating his best pitches which ultimately led to his 12.2 H/9 this season. That would lead all of baseball if he qualified.
If it were me, I'd turn Jacob Turner into a two-pitch reliever with a potential 7th or 8th inning role. Those two pitches would be his two-seam fastball and his curveball.
His two-seam fastball touches 96, sits 92-93 and has the life and movement you cannot teach. The GB% on that pitch was a strong 63.6% this year with 0 HR allowed. His curveball can be hellacious, in 2013 he posted a .147 batting average against and a 27:2 K:BB ratio with his breaking pitch. Inexplicably, he ha€™s used it half as much this year.
As is common, it is very likely Turner would see a velocity jump as a reliever. Couple that with a simpler repertoire and shorter outings and you may just develop a dominant setup man. Come to think of it, the Marlins could really use a guy like that.