Trea Turner impresses at Harrisburg

The Nationals had quite a show at Double-A Harrisburg yesterday as Stephen Strasburg took the mound with widely hyped prospect Trea Turner behind him at shortstop. Turner was playing in just his second game with the Senators after finally arriving following a six-month wait after he was dealt to the Nationals as a player to be named.

San Diego selected Turner 12th overall out of N.C. State in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. He immediately began producing and was quickly elevated to Single-A Fort Wayne. Over 69 games in the minors last year, Turner batted .323 with five homers, 16 doubles, 24 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.

But a few months after his season ended, Turner found himself as the player to be named in a three-team trade involving the Padres, Rays and Nationals. I asked him yesterday if he was shocked to find out that San Diego had dealt him so quickly after drafting him.

"Heck, yeah," Turner said. "I was really surprised. I thought I played well last year. I guess that really doesn't matter in baseball and I kinda learned that it doesn't necessarily matter how you played. Somebody wants you or somebody wants to get something else. That is what I was part of and it is what it is, and I'm just happy to keep playing."

The Nationals acquired Turner and right-hander Joe Ross in the deal. Ross has impressed since making his jump to the big leagues last week. The 22-year-old is scheduled to make his third career start in the majors on Saturday against the Pirates at Nationals Park.

However, a rule stating that a team must wait one full year after signing a draftee before trading him delayed Turner's delivery to the Nats. So Turner began this season as a member of the Padres organization and San Diego even made him a non-roster invitee to spring training. He was assigned to Double-A San Antonio to start the year and slashed .322/.385/.471 with a .856 OPS in 58 games while filling up the Texas League stat sheet with five homers, 13 doubles, three triples, 31 runs scored, 35 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.

Turner said it wasn't as awkward as one might think to be playing and performing highly for an organization that will never reap the benefits.

"It was different, but it wasn't bad because I had a lot of friends," Turner said. "I liked all the coaches. It was fun just being around them. I enjoyed going to the field every day. It wasn't like I was showing up at the field and like, 'Dang it, I have to play for somebody that doesn't necessarily care about me.' I enjoyed going to the field and they took care of me, and they let me play at a high level in Double-A over there."

With the one-year anniversary of his drafting just passing, Turner admits that it's been an eye-opening, wild ride so far.

"Crazy, to say the least," he said. "It's been a learning lesson in a lot of ways off the field, on the field and in the business side of baseball. And also how to deal with some distractions. It was nice having it happen early in my career, so hopefully I can deal with it if it ever happens again. But it worked out fine and I'm happy about it."

Turner was 0-for-4 with his two strikeouts and an error in his Senators debut on Tuesday night. But he bounced back quickly with a double and two RBIs in an impressive 3-for-5 afternoon yesterday. Turner hit the ball hard in all five of his at-bats, including in the first inning, when he recorded his first hit as a member of the Nationals organization with bullet to right-center field.

"It feels really good to get that out of the way," Turner said. "Every new year, every new situation you're kinda pressed for the first one whether whatever it is - home run, base hit, stolen base, any of that stuff. So it was nice to get it out of the way. Now I can relax a little bit and just play the game."

Turner didn't waste time showing off his speed when he swiped his first stolen base moments later. He ripped off another in the seventh inning. With a wiry 6-foot-1, 175-lb. frame that's sure to fill out, Turner glides around the bases.

The Nationals got a good look at Turner's poise and ability to hit the clutch yesterday. With the Senators trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Turner delivered a two-out, two-run base hit. Harrisburg was still down one in the ninth when Turner stepped to the plate with one on and two outs. This time, he belted a double to the left-center field gap.

Turner, who will turn 22 on June 30, appears mature beyond his years. Asked on what he needs to work on to make the next big step, it's obvious Turner doesn't just rely on his natural skill set.

"Just being consistent fielding and hitting," he said. "(On Tuesday,) I made an error that I thought I could've very easily made the play on. So just small things like that. Same thing with hitting. Just small things at the plate. Repeating my swing. I felt a little more comfortable (yesterday) than (Tuesday). I was a little out of rhythm. That's what I think I need to get better at, is be able to show up every day and have the same swing and be consistent in the field."

Turner toured the monuments and saw the White House once on a trip to D.C. as a kid, but he's never been to Nationals Park. He might not have to wait much longer. He could easily find himself playing shortstop behind Strasburg next season, if not sooner.