From Creve Coeur To The Big Leagues?

Two years removed from high school, Jacob Turner could be on the cusp of making his Major League debut.

The former pitcher whose fastball tops out at 98 miles per hour has been rising through the ranks of the minor leagues and the Detroit Free Press openly wondered if he could make his MLB debut on July 20. Earlier this week, a team executive told FOX Sports that it is "unlikely" that Turner would pitch in the majors this season.

“I am proud of him and his hard work ethic and how he handles himself,” said his mother, Amy. “But the talent is a gift from the Lord. He was blessed with a great arm.

“It’s exciting to think that two years from high school, this is where he’s sitting. I know he has his eyes on making it to the Major Leagues. That’s what everybody in the minors has. If it’s not, you shouldn’t be there. It’s a very exciting time.”

Turner was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the ninth overall pick of the 2009 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Turner made his pro debut with the West Michigan Whitecaps before being promoted to the Tigers’ high-A affiliate, the Lakeland Flying Tigers, in June of last year. He began this year with the AA Erie, Pa., SeaWolves.

Glimpse Of The Future

He was selected to play in the Futures Game, a gathering of the top prospects across minor league baseball at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 10.

He threw four pitches to two batters in the Futures Game, getting both hitters to fly out. Following the game, Turner caught an early morning flight to Akron for Erie’s game the next night. After a seven-hour delay because of a canceled flight, he flew to New Hampshire Wednesday morning to play in the Eastern League All-Star Game that night. He was not scheduled to start again for Erie until Monday.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander said on his Twitter page that the all-star experiences were “awesome” but also exhausting. Amy Turner said her son, who turned 20 on May 21, is used to traveling – with frequent 10-hour bus trips to games. While he’s always been responsible and “mature beyond his age,” Amy Turner said Jacob has “grown a lot professionally and personally.”

Amy and her husband Mark flew out to Arizona to watch the Futures Game and said it was a remarkable experience.

“It’s kind of surreal watching him,” Mark Turner said. “He’s 18 months removed from pitching a district game and now, here he is pitching in the Futures Game in Arizona and is on the doorstep of pitching in the Major Leagues.

“It was a good time to go and good time to see him. I can’t imagine anybody being a player in the minor leagues and not enjoying that. It was something else to see.”

Adding to his lively fastball, Turner has a nasty curveball and deceptive changeup. Before the Tigers drafted him, Jacob Turner had committed to play baseball at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He decided not to play for the Tar Heels and that’s a decision the Turners do not regret.

“He was called to do something and he loves it,” Amy Turner said of her son. “He doesn’t second-guess it.”

Turner's high school coach won't second guess the decision to bring Turner up to Detroit, whenever it comes.

“He’s shown, as along as I’ve known him, so much potential,” said Rich Van Gilst, who has been the Westminster baseball coach for 27 years. “I never want to put caps on what he would do. It’s not something you would expect but I never want to say never because I know how hard he works and how talented he is.”

Sibling Rivalry?

Despite playing on a talented Westminster team that had the sons of former Major League players Todd Worrell and Mike Matheny, as well as younger brother Benjamin, who now plays at the University of Missouri, Jacob Turner’s Wildcats never claimed a state championship.

The Turner family was part of a title this season, as Luke Turner played an important part in winning

But there was no sibling trash-talking. Instead, Jacob and Benjamin simply congratulated Luke and his teammates with Jacob telling his younger brother he was glad they “brought home the hardware.”

“I was glad Luke was able to accomplish that and that Coach Van Gilst was finally able to get that after three tries,” Mark Turner said, adding that his sons have always been supportive of each other.

“They’re all just happy for what each of them has done,” he said. “They all come to each other’s games if they can. They enjoy seeing what each other can do and are all happy for the successes each of them has had.”

While Mark Turner called the speculation about Jacob’s big league call-up “Internet posturing,” he said he’ll be in attendance if and when his son makes his MLB debut.

“Whenever he gets the ball on whatever date it will be, I’ll figure out a way to get there,” he said. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. I don’t know if it will happen this year, but when it does, we’ll all get there.”