Nik Turley
| IP | 39 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 7.846 |
| WHIP | 1.59 |
| BB/9 | 4.385 |
| SO/9 | 7.615 |
- Full name Nikolas Carlyle Turley
- Born 09/11/1989 in La Canada, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Harvard-Westlake
- Debut 06/11/2017
- Drafted in the 50th round (1,502nd overall) by the New York Yankees in 2008 (signed for $125,000).
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Signed for $125,000 as the third-to-last player picked in the 2008 draft, Turley has made a place for himself in the organization and had his best season in 2012. He battled through blister issues that landed him on the disabled list in May to pitch more than 100 innings for the first time, and made two starts in the Double-A Eastern League playoffs. He has a big, physical frame and delivery reminiscent of Andy Pettitte's. Turley doesn't have the same upside or raw arm strength, but he does have a fastball that sits at 88-91 mph and touches 92 on good nights. He'll cut his fastball and sink it, and his changeup has similar downward movement. He limited righthanders to a .228 average last season. His curveball has solid depth and good shape, showing flashes of becoming a plus pitch. Turley needs to command his fastball better and get ahead so he can use his secondary stuff effectively. He handles the running game well, giving up just 13 steals in 26 tries last year. Turley earned a place on New York's 40-man roster in November. and will open 2013 in Double-A. -
Turley played at toney Harvard-Westlake High (Studio City, Calif.) and was committed to Brigham Young after graduating in 2008. Because he's a Mormon, many scouts expected him to attend BYU and go on a two-year mission. Instead, he signed for $150,000 after the Yankees drafted him in the 50th round. He comes from an athletic family: his mother skiied for BYU, while three brothers played college sports, including Kurt, a former Cougars righthander. Turley's career took a while to get going, as he began each of his first three pro seasons in Rookie ball. He was just starting to hit his stride in 2011 when he took a line drive off his pitching hand in his second start following a promotion to high Class A, breaking a bone and ending his season. He had been Charleston's best starter in the first half and didn't allow an earned run in his final four starts there. Despite a late growth spurt that has seen him add two inches and 30 pounds since signing, Turley has the system's best control. His fastball is the least of his pitches, sitting in the upper 80s at times and in the low 90s at others. It's effective at average velocity because of his height and angle to the plate. He could throw harder as he irons out his delivery, which has some stiffness. His above-average curveball has good shape and his changeup also has its moments. Turley should return to high Class A in 2012 and has a back-of-the-rotation ceiling. -
The Yankees were disappointed to lose out on their first-round (Gerrit Cole) and second-round (Scott Bittle) picks in the 2008 draft, but they tried to compensate by handing out six-figure bonuses to four players selected after the 10th round. That included $125,000 for their final choice, 50th-rounder Turley, who had committed to Brigham Young. He's a tall, sturdy-bodied lefthander with room for projection and solid present stuff. Turley has an 88-91 mph fastball that he throws on a nice downhill plane. He also has fringe-average breaking ball that New York hopes to hone into a true curveball. Since signing, he already has picked up a changeup that the Yankees say has average potential. Turley remains raw even though he's a Southern California product, as he needs to tone up his body and gain consistency with his delivery. He has natural athleticism that allowed him to make quick improvements in instructional league. He has a shot to make the low Class A Charleston rotation out of spring training in 2009, but more likely he'll head to extended spring training and then to short-season Staten Island.
Minor League Top Prospects
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When Andy Pettitte joined Tampa while tuning up for his big league return, he had a very interested new teammate in Turley. His big frame and delivery reminded everyone in the league of Pettitte. Turley uses his size and over-the-top delivery to get good downhill plane on his pitches and generate plenty of groundouts, helping him lead the league with a 2.89 ERA. He works his 89-92 mph fastball to both sides of the plate, setting up a big-breaking curveball that can freeze hitters. His changeup is more erratic, but when it's on, it falls off the table at the plate.
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Curveball in the New York Yankees in 2014
- Rated Best Control in the New York Yankees in 2012
