Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
We follow up a toolsy prep outfielder with an even toolsier prep outfielder. This MLB Draft profile is on Gavin Turley, who has sometime in common with a former National League MVP and current Dodger.
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Previous Profiles
- Peyton Graham (June 15)
- Drew Gilbert (June 21)
- Ryan Cermak (June 22)
- Thomas Harrington (June 27)
- Peyton Pallette (June 28)
- Landon Sims (June 29)
- Malcolm Moore (July 5)
- Cade Horton (July 6)
- Walter Ford (July 7)
- Eric Brown (July 11)
- Jacob Misiorowski (July 12)
- Henry Bolte (July 13)
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Vitals
6’2, 200 pounds
Position: Outfielder
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
DOB: Nov. 12, 2003
Location
Chandler, Ariz.
Commitment: Oregon State
Rankings
The Athletic: 81
Baseball America: 85
CBS Sports: NR
ESPN: 62
MLB Pipeline: 107
Prospects Live: 87
Slot recommended bonus (No. 29): $1,950,900
Note: All information of draft prospects compiled from Internet sources, scouting reports and videos.
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Turley will be the lowest-ranked of any prospect I profile this draft season, but there’s still a lot to like about this hard-hitting prospect. He hails from the Cody Bellinger‘s alma mater, but Turley is a slightly better draft prospect at this point than Bellinger was back in 2013.
He has some of the fastest hands in the draft, and you’ll see that when you watch video on him. He has gone through a few variations of his stance. He’ll incorporate a big leg kick at times (sometimes with a step-back timing mechanism). Other times, it’s more muted. Other-other times, it’s more of a foot twist than a leg kick. Turley has shown future plus-power thanks to lightning quick hands and natural loft to his right-handed swing. While there’s a lot of noise in his stance/swing, it’s hard to argue with the results. However, his contact/hit tool is a big-time question. He swings a lot and tends to chase pitches. He’s a bit over-anxious at times and needs to develop at least some patience going forward. Despite that, he seems like the kind of prospect who would thrive in the Dodgers’ system.
While he’s a plus-athlete and a double-plus runner, he might be a right fielder rather than a center fielder at this point. He played primarily right field and has more than enough arm for the position. He should be a 20-25 stolen base threat once he masters the nuances of base running. Right now, everything is purely based on natural athleticism, which is why some are very intrigued by his profile.
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Video
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It’s hard not to dream on Turley’s tool set. The physical aspect of the game is there, but there are a lot of wrinkles that need to be ironed out. Signability could be a concern, but if the Dodgers like what they see, they’ll make it happen. He has a chance to be a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat with plus-defense and plus-plus speed. Being able to handle center field would only improve his profile, but if he has to stick in right field, he has plenty of bat and arm for the position. He could be a better version of Randal Grichuk, who was, famously chosen one spot ahead of Mike Trout in the 2009 MLB Draft.
