After going away from their normal modus operandi of selecting power arms by taking a high school position player in the first round, the Tigers went right back to the norm in the second round, tabbing Alabama right-hander Spencer Turnbull with the 63rd overall pick.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s (hitting as high as 98 mph) making him profile as a guy who might end up in the bullpen in the future. He also has a slider that could develop into a better-than-average pitch, and a change-up, so he could remain as a starter, as well.
Despite pitching for one of the state of Mississippi's powerhouse prep programs, Madison Central, Turnbull was not drafted out of high school. He limited opponents to a .192 batting average against this season with the Crimson Tide, posting a 2.22 ERA, striking out 61 in 93 1/3 innings pitched as a junior. But he also walked 47, plunked 13, and tossed nine wild pitches, so control is not necessarily a strong suit.
