Burner Turner

I was lucky enough to watch to future first round draft picks play baseball at NC State the last couple of years.  Most baseball folks are familiar with left-handed pitching prospect Carlos Rodon who was drafted third overall by the White Sox.  It was long rumored that the Astros were going to use the first overall pick for the hard throwing starting pitcher, but third is still pretty good.  A little bit later in the first round the San Diego Padres selected Trea Turner who was the shortstop off the Wolfpack baseball team throughout Rodon's time in Raleigh.  

Turner was definitely a speed guy in college.  He's got some pop and he's a good fielder too, but the wheels are really what stood out when you watched him play at that level.  

Turner started out in Low A for the Padres, but was promoted towards the end of the summer to their High A team in the Midwest League.  Turner played almost 50 games and squeezed in 200 plate appearances for the Fort Wayne Tin Caps (great name) and posted a .369/.447/.529 line with 4 home runs and 14 steals.  The Padres sent Turner onto the Arizona Fall League where he has had some great games.  

and as the end of the baseball calendar rolls around and the draft sets start to hit the market, I am getting my first cracks at some Trea Turner cards since I landed a few of his USA Baseball autographs a few summers ago.  First up is his Leaf Draft autograph.....

The Turner card is the base version on his autograph out of the Leaf set.  No print runs of 50 or anything, but it is still a really cool card.  I like the fact that Turner is wearing his NC State uniform in the picture.  I just wish it had the Block S logo on the helmet and jersey.  I am going to go watch that cool rally video they play at the State baseball games and go bid on some more Turner autographs.  Go Pack!  Go Turner!