Turner didn't have anything more to prove in the minors, but the Nationals sent him back to Syracuse anyway so he could hit .302/.370/.471 in 331 at-bats with 25 steals before finally getting a long-overdue promotion. If he was frustrated by his slow progress up the ladder, he took it out on opposing pitchers. While his .342 batting average was the product of an unsustainable .391 BABIP, his contact rates and batting averages have always been excellent, and 33 steals in 73 big league games isn't out of line with his minor league theatrics on the basepaths. The real surprise was the power he flashed at the highest level. After hitting just 19 home runs in 268 minor league games, Turner slugged 13 in 73 games with Washington. If that power proves to be even partially sustainable (and his 16.7 percent HR/FB rate, while high, wasn't outrageous), the Nats suddenly find themselves with a 23-year-old five-category shortstop, and a future pillar of the franchise.

Acquired from the Padres in the three-team deal that sent Steven Souza to the Rays, Turner immediately became the Nationals' shortstop of the future, a future that might begin as soon as 2016 with Ian Desmond leaving in free agency. The 13th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Turner's plus-plus wheels are his major selling point, but his line drive swing produces excellent contact and his plate discipline should allow him to stick as a leadoff hitter. The Nats still have Danny Espinosa as a stop-gap at shortstop, so they don't need to rush Turner, but with Denard Span also on his way out the door they have a need at the top of the batting order as well as at shortstop that Turner could fill admirably if he reaches his full potential. An impressive showing in spring training could land him in the Opening Day starting lineup, but even if the team decides to delay his arbitration clock, his stay at Triple-A this year should be a brief one.

A former college teammate of highly coveted lefty Carlos Rodon, Turner closed out a three-year career at North Carolina State with a .342/.435/.507 line and 113 stolen bases in 127 attempts over 173 games despite an ankle injury that limited his impact as a basestealer during his sophomore campaign. Speed is easily Turner's best tool and he's an 80-grade runner, while his bat and plate discipline should be good enough for him to develop into a leadoff hitter at the big league level down the road. Defensively, Turner shifted to shortstop after the 2013 season for the Wolfpack, and it's believed that he has the footwork necessary to stick at short as he advances, and the arm strength necessary to handle third base if it's decided he's a better fit there. Upon signing, Turner went 23-for-27 as a basestealer at short-season Eugene and Low-A Fort Wayne, while toting an impressive .369/.447/.529 line over 46 contests at the latter stop. Turner was named as the player to be named later in the Will Myers trade, but won't join the Nationals until next June due to a technicality. His 2015 status may be murky as a result, but he's seen as a potential impact player when he finally starts playing for his new organization.