USC infielder Tyresse Turner signs with Cleveland Guardians
The top of the USC baseball lineup will look extensively exclusive subsequent 12 months. The first 3 hitters within the Trojans’ lineup had been all drafted in remaining month’s MLB draft and signed over the weekend as Tyresse Turner agreed to terms with the Cleveland Guardians.
Turner turned into drafted with Cleveland’s 13th round choose, the No. 391 typical choice within the 2022 MLB Draft. He obtained a $125,000 signing bonus, which is the maximum a group can signal gamers decided on after the 10th round without having to count number something towards their draft pool from the primary 10 rounds. The declaration of Turner’s signing came at the same weekend because the New York Mets signed USC draft choices D’Andre Smith and Rylan Thomas.
The departures of Smith, Thomas and Turner way new head instruct Andy Stankiewicz will be revamping the whole pinnacle of the order as well as everything of their up-the-middle fielders. Smith and Turner were USC’s middle infielders whilst Thomas manned centerfield. USC had already seen the departure of catchers Garret Guillemette and Tyler Lozano, who both entered the NCAA switch portal and observed new houses. Guillemette devoted to Texas at the same time as Lozano has signed with Creighton.
Turner had entered the switch portal before the draft while USC became within the center of its training seek, however he by no means needed to make a choice on whether to discover a new collegiate home because of the Guardians’ selection. Cleveland has had fulfillment with Southern California draft choices lately, maximum appreciably American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, who played at UC Santa Barbara. It drafted more than one gamers from the West area, along with former Simi Valley HS proper-hander Justin Campbell with their 2d select within the draft. It also drafted catcher Logun Clark from Taft, Calif. In the 16th spherical and right-exceeded pitcher Zach Jacobs in the 18th spherical. Jacobs pitched for UC Riverside the remaining 3 years but had entered the switch portal and committed to Long Beach State. The Guardians additionally decided on two Arizona State players — center fielder Joe Lampe in the fourth spherical and southpaw Adam Tulloch in the 15th round.
Turner’s very last season with the Trojans was his quality. He was capable of faucet into his strength plenty better regardless of his five-foot-10, 170-pound frame. He had 23 greater base hits after having 9 closing season. He doubled his home run total even as tripling his doubles. His 15 doubles without problems led the group. He led the group with a hundred total bases and led the group in slugging percent because it jumped from .384 in 2021 to .524 this season.
The switch hitter, who is able to playing in the center infield or outfield, additionally located greater consistency than his first two seasons. He raised his batting average more than 60 factors this season, hitting .330. He additionally confirmed higher plate discipline, main the group in walks even as having seven fewer strikeouts in fifty three greater at-bats than in 2021. Turner remained a chance at the bases, leading USC with 15 stolen bases in 19 attempts. He finished the season tied for the team lead with 40 runs and become two behind Trevor Halsema’s group-excessive 35 RBIs.
Turner changed into the primary USC participant drafted by the Guardians franchise since shortstop Jimmy Roberts was picked in the 15th round of the 2013 draft. Turner was the very last Trojan decided on on this 12 months’s draft turning into USC baseball’s 348th all-time MLB draft pick out, a file for any college.