Since Mauricio Dubon was part of a significant trade with the San Francisco Giants, we’re moving on to Brice Turang for our next prospect review.
This season was Turang’s first taste of full-season pro ball. At just 19, he started 2019 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, where he was more than two years younger than the league average. There he played 82 games, with most of them coming at shortstop but 28 also covering second base. Turang’s bat was as advertised at Wisconsin, loads of contact but little to no power. He slashed .287/.384/.376 with just two homers but 21 stolen bases.
After half a season with Wisconsin and a trip the Midwest League All-Star Game, the Brewer promoted Turang to the Carolina Mudcats. He had more issues dealing with the better pitching he faced at high-A. Turang hit just .200/.338/.276 with only a single homer and nine stolen bags in 207 plate appearances. While Turang racked up 357 PAs with the T-Rats, he only struck out 54 times. At Carolina, he had 47 punchouts in roughly half the time.
Despite the struggles after his promotion, it’s easy to still see Turang’s season as a success. He’s just one year out of high school and already facing a great talent pool in the Carolina League, where it is a tougher environ to hit in than other leagues. Turang should continue to add power as he ages, at least finding the gaps and using his speed to rack up doubles. The "shortstop of the future" has also shown a great eye, putting up at 13.7% walk rate at Wisconsin and 16.4% with the Mudcats. That’s fairly uncommon in hitters his age.
We must remember to be patient, as it’s very likely we’ll continue to see bumps and slow downs in his development. If Turang can add some power, his solid defense and speed should make him a future Major League regular. However, if he can't boost his strength, that’s historically been an indicator that prospects will struggle mightily on their way up the ladder.
What are your thoughts on Turang’s season? How long before he’s playing with the Biloxi Shuckers?