Jacob Turner Had a Bad Time: Miami Marlins Season Review

Former first-round pick Jacob Turner was added to the Miami Marlins roster for a little added depth to start 2018.

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 192 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

Jacob Edward Turner is a 6’5″, 215 lb. right-handed pitcher from St. Charles, Missouri. He was the 10th major leaguer out of St. Charles, joining former Miami Marlins pitcher Mark Buehrle and current member of the club Brett Graves.

Turner was born on May 21st, 1991, and was drafted out of Westminster Christian Academy by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Entry Draft, with the ninth overall pick off the board.

Players chosen ninth overall have a pretty good track record of impact at the major league level, placing 62 percent, or 34-of-54 since 1965. The group is led by Kevin Appier (1987, Kansas City Royals, 54.7 career WAR), and includes former Miami Marlins Mark Kotsay (1996, 21.3 WAR), Preston Wilson (1992, New York Mets, 6.4 WAR), and Mark Smith (1991, Baltimore Orioles, -0.1 WAR).

Turner was immediately considered Detroit’s top overall prospect, and was Baseball America’s number 26 prospect for 2010. He made his major league debut not long afterward, getting into three games for the Tigers in 2011.

On July 23rd, 2012, the Tigers traded Turner with Rob Brantly and Brian Flynn to the Miami Marlins for Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez. Turner struggled at the major league level for the Fish, going 8-19 with a 4.67 ERA and a 4.27 FIP over 239 innings of work. He struck out 160 and earned a 1.467 WWHIP over parts of three seasons with Miami. On August 8th, 2014, the first Miami Marlins Jacob Turner era came to a close, when Miami traded him to the Chicago Cubs for Jose Arias and Tyler Bremer.

After the trade, Turner struggled to make an impact at the major league level with a number of teams. He later appeared in the major and minor league systems of the Cubs, the Chicago White Sox, and the Washington Nationals. On December 21st, 2017, the Miami Marlins reunited with Turner on a minor league deal for $2 million.

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Turner appeared in three of Miami’s first five games, allowing seven hits and two walks in only 4 2/3 innings, but only allowing two runs for a decent 3.86 ERA. On April 7th, Turner entered a contest against the Philadelphia Phillies, trailing 9-1 in the third inning. By the time he left in the fourth, the Marlins trailed 17-1. All eight runs were earned, on six hits and three walks. Turner was sent down to the Miami Marlins triple-A affiliate soon after that, for the Pacific Coast League’s New Orleans Baby Cakes.

Turner was not good in the high-minors either, allowing 31 hits and eight walks in 21 2/3 innings for a 1.800 WHIP with the desserts. On June 2nd, the Marlins released Turner.

Detroit signed Turner for another go five days later. He pitched one more inning at the major league level for them, allowing seven runs on six hits and a walk. Turner elected free agency on October 3rd. On November 19th, Turner signed with the KIA Tigers, in the Korea Baseball Organization, per Naver Sports.

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