Especially given the crowded catching field in the system, it’s imperative that this backstop find his bat this summer
Catcher
6´1´´
205 pounds
Age: 26
2023 South Side Sox Top Prospect Rank 59
2024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Rank 51
2024 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level +1.3 years
SSS rank among all catchers in the system 7
Overall 2024 stats 96 games ⚾️ 2 HR ⚾️ 33 RBI ⚾️ .218/.325/.282 ⚾️ 50 BB ⚾️ 77 K ⚾️ 6-of-6 (100%) SB ⚾️ 22-of-97 (22.7%) CS ⚾️ .985 FLD%
Ninth-round choice in 2022, University of Arkansas catcher Michael Turner, is an older prospect, but brings a solid set of skills to the White Sox: solid lefty bat, good defense, receiving and arm. Jim Callis on the MLB Network particularly lauded Turner for really stepping up his overall game in the Razorbacks’ summer run to the College World Series — where, as you can see above, Turner played in some high-pressure CWS games, facing Tim Elko and Ole Miss.
In 2022 after his drafting, Turner played in two games at Kannapolis, going hitless but — a theme emerges — getting on base and scoring three times via free passes.
With a full offseason to prepare, Turner spent all of 2023 at High-A Winston-Salem, frankly a bit low a full-year assignment given his age. There, he fulfilled most of his offensive promise by hitting better than .300 and walking more often than striking out. On the defensive end, Turner had nine passed balls and eight errors, and coming within one base-runner caught stealing of failing to reach the 20% CS mark.
In 2024, Turner advanced to Double-A, stepped up his glove and arm work a bit, got a cherished assignment to the Arizona Fall League — but completely fell off of the table offensively. His batting average plummeted nearly 100 points and the on-base went from stellar to average. With his scant 72 hits, just two left the premises, so the drop in average didn’t get offset by select power bursts.
Turner’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Contact 82 (-3 from last season)
Hitting 75 (-8)
Durability 65 (0)
RBIs 60 (-7)
Power 53 (-7)
XBH 49 (-5)
Speed 33 (-1)
Runs 28 (-2)
Average 55.63 (-4.12)
Based solely on merit, and his full season at Double-A, in any other year Turner would matriculate to Triple-A right out of camp. However, with it unlikely that both (if either) Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero start the season in Chicago, there is simply no room on the Knights for Turner. Given the likelihood that the power duo resides in Chicago by the second half, if Turner hits at all (and frankly, even if he doesn’t) he should be wearing Charlotte teal by season’s end.
100. Cole McConnell, CF
99. Drake Logan, LF
98. Marcelo Alcala, RF
97. Lyle Miller-Green, 1B
96. Jared Kelley, RHRP
95. Adrian Gil, 1B
94. Adam Hackenberg, C
93. Loidel Chapelli, 2B
92. Eddie Park, CF
91. Chase Plymell, RHRP
90. Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHRP
89. Tristan Stivors, RHRP
88. Pierce George, RHRP
87. Wes Kath, 3B
86. Daniel González, LHRP
85. Mikey Kane, 1B
84. Shane Murphy, LHSP
83. Connor McCullough, RHSP
82. Braden Shewmake, SS
81. Caleb Freeman, RHRP
80. Michael Turner, C
