‘Goofy’ but focused, Turley eyes highly anticipated debut with Beavers
Promising freshman Gavin Turley is expected to get a start at a corner outfield position when the Beavers open the season Friday against New Mexico at Surprise, Ariz. (courtesy OSU sports communications)
CORVALLIS — Some day, Gavin Turley will likely be a rancher, herding cattle, riding horses and doing his own version of “Yellowstone.”
“I’m from Midway, Utah, a little farm town on the back side of Park City,” Turley says. “I have always imagined myself on a ranch when I’m older.”
That’s for the future. For now, Turley is a prize freshman who is expected to start in a corner outfield spot at 11 a.m. Friday at Surprise (Ariz.) Stadium when 18th-ranked Oregon State squares off with New Mexico in the season opener for both clubs.
The 6-1, 190-pound Turley sounds unassuming when asks how he feels about making his college debut.
“It’s exciting,” he says. “It’s crazy. I just keep thinking that I have a chance to play and compete have an impact on this team. It’s beyond me.”
Moments later, he sounds like a confident veteran.
“Always in my mind, I’m shooting to be the best guy on the field,” Turley says. “I think I am the best guy on the field. It’s a matter of going out and competing.”
The self-assurance is one of the traits fourth-year head coach Mitch Canham embraces.
In his first two full seasons as Oregon State coach, Mitch Canham’s record is 75-42 overall and 36-24 in Pac-12 play (courtesy OSU sports communications)
“He believes in himself,” Canham says. “Others believe in him. We all do.”
Turley attended high school in Chandler, Ariz., where he earned Perfect Game All-American and first-team All-State honors at Hamilton High. The Athletic had him ranked as the 87th best prospect prior to the MLB draft, meaning he was a likely third-round pick. Turley set a high bonus price in order for him to sign, and when teams were unwilling to meet it, he decided college ball would be his route.
The Arizona Diamondbacks chose Turley in the 19th round on the second day of the draft.
“They took me as a backup pick,” he says. “I got a call from Mark Ross, the area scout, who was joking around. ‘You going to sign with us?’ I said, ‘No, I’m going to go to college.’ ”
Turley verbally committed to Oregon State as a high school freshman.
“I was looking to stay on the West Coast,” he says. “When I looked around at my college offers, I thought, ‘Where else but Oregon State?’ It was Oregon State for sure.”
Turley, who bats and throw right and will wear jersey No. 1 for the Beavers, has not second-guessed his choice to come to Corvallis.
“I love it so far,” he says. “I like all the coaches. They’re still so young, it’s like we have buddies who have a lot of knowledge we can go listen to.
“My goal for the season is to stay in the moment, compete one pitch at a time, not get too caught up in the result and stay with the process.”
That has impressed Canham, too.
“His process is almost better than anybody I’ve ever been around,” says Canham, catcher on Oregon State’s national championship teams of 2006 and ’07.
What does that mean?
“Our facilities are open 24/7, and he is the guy who is going to go hit, jump in the cold tub, elevate his legs when he needs to,” Canham says. “He takes care of his body. He pays attention to what he’s saying. He embraces every challenge.
“A couple of days ago, he was honing his bunting game. He has probably never bunted in his life. He knows there might be a situation where he can help move a runner or get a runner across the plate. He is a sponge of all around him.”
Turley can run, throw, field, hit for average. Is there power in his bat?
“Very much so,” Canham says, smiling. “I feel bad for people who park in left field (at Goss Stadium). One car got hit three times in a row. It is a bad idea to park anywhere around the field when he is hitting.”
Turley has character and, well, is a bit of a character.
“Gavin needs to still be goofy,” says Ruben Cedillo, the transfer from Linn-Benton CC who likely will be the Beavers’ starting centerfielder. “When he is goofy, he is a lot better than when he is trying to act serious. He tried both in the fall and he was more successful when he was himself. There has to be a mix of both — you don’t want him to be goofing around all the time. But if he is himself, he is going to be very good for us.”
Turley is in agreement.
“I try not taking things too seriously,” he says. “We’re playing this game because we love it. There has to be a balance. Off the field, I’m goofy, but I can turn it on and be professional when I need to be.”
Turley is serious with his team aspirations. Is a Pac-12 title a feasible goal?
“Yes, 100 percent,” he says. “And to win the national championship, too.”
NOTES: All-America pitcher Ben Ferrer will miss at least the first week of play after contract mononucleosis. Canham said Tuesday that the senior reliever hadn’t pitched for about 10 days — from the time he was diagnosed with mono. “He has had few symptoms, but sometimes it takes awhile to get it out of a guy’s system,” Canham said. “We will have a better idea (about his return) next week when we check things out.” … Right-hander Trent Sellers will get the start for Oregon State in the opener. The 6-2, 205-pound senior is a transfer from Lewis & Clark State, where he was conference Pitcher of the Year and a second-team NAIA All-American. Sellers was 22-1 in his two seasons at LC State after spending his freshman season at Washington State. Canham says Sellers’ early-season fastball clocks at 90 to 92 miles per hour. “He is trying to separate four pitches across the board at different angles,” the OSU coach says. “We are fired up at him having the baseball. He doesn’t say a whole lot. He just goes out and does his job.” … Right-hander Jacob Kmatz, a 6-2, 220-pound who went 8-2 and was Freshman All-American for the Beavers last season, will start Saturday against Minnesota in the second game of Oregon State’s four-game set at Surprise. Jaren Hunter, a 6-2, 225-point junior right-hander, and AJ Lattery, a 6-5, 240-pound junior right-hander, are likely to get the starts against New Mexico Sunday and Cal Santa-Barbara on Monday. … Ryan Brown, a Freshman All-American and All-Pac-12 first team selection last season, returns in the closing role. Juniors Braden Boisvert and Ian Lawson, the latter 6-7 and 245, are among others who should see action from the bullpen. The Beavers have only three left-handers — 6-4, 220-pound freshman Nelson Keljo from Portland’s Jesuit High, 6-3, 190-pound freshman Tyler Mejia and 6-4, 240-pound junior Justin Torsteinson.
An educated guess on the opening day lineup: Sophomore Tanner Smith at catcher, junior Garret Forrester at first base, sophomore Travis Bazzana at second base, junior Kyle Dernedde at shortstop, sophomore Mikey Kane at third base, Gurley, Cedillo and junior Brady Kasper in the outfield and senior TJ Wheeler at designated hitter … Kane is a 6-3, 195-pound transfer from College of the Canyons, where he hit .318 with eight home runs, 42 RBIs and 43 runs in 36 games. He has competition from sophomore Mason Guerra, who hit .333 in 19 games for OSU as a freshman. … Canham on freshman utility player Dallas Macias: “You may see him in the infield, you may see him in the outfield, and you know you’re going to see him hit.” … Smith is getting a push at catcher from sophomore Wilson Weber from Barlow High. “Wilson has been swinging the bat really well,” Canham says. … Sophomore infielder Jabin Trosky will miss the season after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery. Senior pitcher Brock Townsend was suspended from school — no reason provided …
Canham believes speed will be one of the Beavers’ biggest assets this season, much as it was last season. “Last year’s club — that whole outfield, Bazzana — they loved to run, and they loved challenging each other,” the coach says. “It became a fun game between them — who was going to swipe more bags. You have to have that arrogance when you’re on the basepaths. We’ll have to see what comes out of it this year. They’ve had no problems running so far. They want to run. The situation will dictate that. But more than stolen bases, speed can get us from first to third, get us home from third on flyballs. I want to see our guys getting out of the box fast. After contact is made, I want them to be a baserunning threat. Every hit should look like a double until the defense forces us to take one.” … Other freshmen who will get a shot to play this season include pitchers AJ Hutchinson and Aiden Jimenez, infielders Jacob Krieg, Ely Kennel and Tyce Peterson and outfielders Easton Tait and Canon Reeder. … last season, Oregon State finished 48-18 overall and second in the Pac-12 with a 20-10 conference mark. The Beavers won the Corvallis Regional, beating Vanderbilt in the final, then lost to Auburn 4-3 in the deciding game of the three-game Super Regional despite outhitting the Tigers 8-3 in the finale. From that team, Oregon State lost National Pitcher of the Year Cooper Hjerpe along with its entire starting outfield — Wade Meckler, Jacob Melton and Justin Boyd. … Boyd, drafted in the second round by Cincinnati last summer, was traded by the Reds last week to Cleveland for outfielder Will Benson and a player to be named later. It gives Boyd a chance to one day join ex-Beaver Steven Kwan in the Guardians’ outfield.
► ◄
Readers: what are your thoughts? I would love to hear them in the comments below. On the comments entry screen, only your name is required, your email address and website are optional, and may be left blank.
Follow me on Twitter.
Like me on Facebook.
Find me on Instagram.
Be sure to sign up for my emails.
