Jacob Turner Solid After Promotion, But Casey Crosby Struggles

I tweeted the news of Jacob Turner’s promotion from West Michigan to Lakeland as soon as I heard it, but failed to look up when his first start would be. Consequently, it flew under my radar, but I suppose an update is better late than never. You have my deepest apologies.

Turner’s first start for the Lakeland Flying Tigers came on Friday against the Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewers). He lasted only four innings (I’m sure they have him on a strict pitch count), giving up two runs on four hits. The really good news for Turner (and Tiger fans in general) was his four strikeouts and zero walks. The strikeout to walk ratio has been a source of great success for Jacob in his young minor league career. While in West Michigan, he struck out 51 Midwest League hitters, and only walked nine, in 54 innings of work. Those are the types of numbers that pitching coaches dream of, and those are the numbers that will give him great success in the majors.

In other can’t-miss pitching prospect news, Casey Crosby made his second rehab start in the Gulf Coast League on Monday as he continues to work his way back from an arm injury. Unfortunately, the start didn’t go so well. He went five innings and struck out three, but allowed eight hits and four earned runs against the GCL Pirates. After two starts, his ERA sits at an unfriendly 5.00, but he’s struck out eight and only walked two in nine total innings. It appears that Casey is slated to join Jacob Turner in Lakeland once he’s ready.

The future of the Detroit Tigers’ starting rotation looks bright with Rick Porcello, Andy Oliver, Jacob Turner, and Casey Crosby. None of the four are older than 22, and all four are touted to be top-half of the rotation prospects (we’ve already seen this out of Porcello). I get giddy at the thought of these four, plus Justin Verlander, making up the starting rotation in the next few years, but it remains to be seen if all four will remain property of the Tigers. Dave Dombrowski has shown that he’s not shy about dealing a prospect or two if he feels it will help the club—will one of these young pitchers be traded away next?