Andrew Turner’s 2018 Miami Marlins Season Review

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 120 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

Andrew Turner is a 6’2″, 190 lb. right-handed third baseman from King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Born on September 26th, 1995, Turner joined the Long Island-Brooklyn Blackbirds for four seasons of Division I competition. In 163 games, he hit .299/.405/.458 with 14 home runs and 77 RBI. After the 2017 season ended, the Miami Marlins chose him in the 40th round of the draft. Turner instead played another season of college ball, and was eventually named to the Northeast Conference “All-Conference” team.

Turner improved his draft position by one round after his extra season of ball. The Miami Marlins picked him in the 39th round of the 2018 MLB Entry Draft, with the 1,167th overall choice. Turner is the guy on the left, in the video below.

Players chosen 1,167th off the board do not have a very good track record of eventually reaching the major leagues. The only one to have accomplished the feat is Brad Lidge (1995, San Francisco Giants, 7.9 career WAR).

After his selection, Turner signed a deal to play for the Miami Marlins for a $1,000 signing bonus. He reported to the GCL Marlins, in the rookie-level Florida-based Gulf Coast League. In 33 games, he hit 18-for-105, scoring 17 runs and hitting six doubles and a home run. He collected seven RBI and drew 14 walks while striking out 22 times. He stole one base in three attempts, ending with a .171/.304/.257 slashline.

Turner collected multiple hits in four games of his 33 with GCL. On June 20th, in a 9-6 loss to the GCL Cardinals, Turner batted seventh and hit a pair of doubles, scoring a run. On August 15th, he batted ninth and collected his first career home run, adding a double and scoring twice while knocking two in as the Marlins topped the GCL Astros, 10-6. The GCL Marlins finished the season 25-31.

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On August 26th, Turner was promoted to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League. He went two-for-seven with a double before the season came to a close.

In 162 2/3 innings of defensive work at the hot corner between both teams, Turner racked up a .938 fielding percentage.

Choosing someone in the 39th round isn’t really a ringing endorsement of future success, but choosing someone in consecutive drafts does raise some questions. Turner is already 23-years-old, but the Miami Marlins see something in him that is worth taking a chance on.

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