nate10s

Given name: Randy Stuart Turner Born: December 27, 1991 in Eunice, LA Position: Catcher Bats/Throws: Right Height: 6'2" Weight: 230 lbs Randy Stuart Turner was a 3rd round draft choice of the MN Twins in 2013 out of the University of Mississippi. He spent most of the 2013 season playing at Elizabethton (playing one game with class AA New Britain). In 2014 he was promoted to Ft Myers, where he spent the entire season there. This season he is back up at the AA level, this time with Chattanooga. Turner's value is mostly from behind the plate. While in college he won the Johnny Bench Award, which is given to the best catcher in the NCAA. In his minor league career he has thrown out 32% of would-be base stealers, which seems somewhere between average and below average. For comparison sake, Pinto (minor league) is also at 32%, Brian Navarreto (Rookie ball & low A) is at 53%, and Kurt Suzuki's MLB career rate is 26%. So, Turner's defensive value must be tied to fielding percentage, pitch framing, and handling a pitching staff. As far as offense, Turner has seen his triple slash drop at each level. Through 26 games with Chattanooga, he is sitting at .191/.298/.258. The one thing Turner appears to do well offensively is draw walks. The Twins appear to like Turner as they've moved him up a level each year in spite of his offensive production. My guess is that they expect him to fill a Drew Butera type role in which he is the backup backstop that can provide solid D and any offensive production is a bonus.

Stuart Turner