Prep Baseball Report

Turner Taking The Recruiting Process Slowly


Bruce Hefflinger
Michigan Senior Writer

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Turner Taking The Recruiting Process Slowly

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Tristan Turner SS / 3B / Brother Rice, MI / 2026

OXFORD - Going to a high school that is a powerhouse on the ball diamond can have drawbacks when it comes to getting seen according to Tristan Turner.

“There’s a lot of talent at Brother Rice so it’s been hard to get playing time my first two years,” noted the fifth-rated junior shortstop in Michigan. “Going to the Future Games helped me get in front of college coaches and show that I can play.”

Schools like Northwestern, Eastern Michigan, Ball State and Western Michigan have shown interest since the Aug. 1 deadline arrived, permitting contact with players in the 2026 class.

“I haven’t been too stressed,” Turner said about his recruitment. “I heard about the rule with a 34 roster size and knew a lot of guys would get offers right away, but most would be pitchers. The transfer portal is for the position players.”

It has Turner, who turns 17 on Dec. 17, weighing his options with caution.

“With the transfer portal I want to be careful how cuts work with making the roster size,” Turner said. “Western only has 33 on their roster so I’ve been talking with them a lot.

“I don’t care about the size of the school I pick, I’d prefer D-I, but what I want is to go to a team that makes the tournament,” Turner added. “I want a team that can compete against the big-time schools.”

The 5-11 170-pounder points to versatility as a selling point in his game.

“Being able to play anywhere in the infield at the Future Games showed I can play all the positions well,” noted Turner, who saw time at second, short and third base during the Prep Baseball event in Georgia in late July. “In high school I played outfield and DH last year and this year will be at second base or third. Most coaches I’ve talked with see me as an infielder, but I’m not opposed to playing outfield.”

Making strides at the plate is a major focus right now for the 17th-ranked junior in Michigan.

“I’m working hard on putting the ball in play as much as possible,” Turner related. “I’ve been working a lot with high-speed machines.”

Adam Goodwin, Prep Baseball Michigan Director of Scouting, likes the direction Turner is headed.

“Tristan had a solid summer campaign along with a good outing and event at our Top Prospect Games at Eastern Michigan,” Goodwin said. “He’s a reliable defender in the middle of the field who’s still making gains at the plate with his bat. Tristan is setting up for an important spring for Brother Rice where he will take on more responsibility for the Warriors.”

Be it in high school, summer ball or down the road in college, Turner has one major goal.

“I’ll do anything to help the team win,” he said. “I like playing for winning teams. Hitting or fielding, I’ll do whatever I can to help the team win.”

For now, the plan is to not rush the recruiting process.

“I want to work on building relationships with coaches, display my talent during the high school season and, hopefully, after the high school season make a decision,” Turner said. “Everything will work out. It’s not surprising how it’s going. My brother didn’t have any looks until his junior year and he went to Yale. I’m friends with the Van Ameyde’s (Cash and Cole, seniors at Brother Rice) and they just committed.

“It’s harder now with the transfer portal than it was a couple of years ago. Hopefully, by early summer or late summer I’ll make a decision.”

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