Under general manager Dave Dombrowski, the Detroit Tigers have never been shy about pushing their premier pitching prospects aggressively, which is why 2009 first-rounder (No. 9 overall) Jacob Turner needs to be watched closely by fantasy owners.

Jeremy Bonderman had only 27 minor league starts under his belt before joining the big league rotation (at the age of 20). Justin Verlander had just 20. Andrew Miller had pitched three games of relief before joining the Tigers as a reliever during their stretch run in 2006, and just more than a month as a minor league starter in 2007 before becoming a part of the team's rotation. Rick Porcello was in the majors after 24 professional starts, while Andrew Oliver made just 14 starts before his debut. You get the picture.Still, Dombrowski recently called it "unlikely" and manager Jim Leyland said "it was a long shot speculation" that Turner would be in the big leagues this season. There was speculation he was being considered for the team's start Wednesday, but that spot start ultimately went to Duane Below. Both acknowledged that Turner is very close to the majors, but the concerns have to do with keeping his innings down. That said, these things can and do change based on team needs. The Tigers are looking for another starter for the back of their rotation in the trade market, and if they can't find one, they could reconsider their stance regarding Turner. The team has tried to give him extra days of rest and have him skip a start here and there at Double-A, when possible."I feel like they've been doing a good job of keeping my arm as fresh as it can be," said Turner when I talked with him at the Futures Game. "They're making sure I can rebound and recover."Turner, who turned just 20 in May, has fanned 82 batters and walked 31 in 105⅔ innings this season, with a good ground-ball profile to go with it. The right-hander with the prototypical 6-foot-5 pitcher's frame has also been efficient. After averaging fewer than five innings per start in his pro debut season in 2010 -- in part because he was limited somewhat following minor elbow stiffness that forced him to miss three weeks -- he has gone at least six innings in all but two of his 16 starts this season, even getting his pitch count up to the 110 range."They've let me go pitch count-wise, which has been nice," Turner said. "You really feel like you're pitching when you're in the sixth and seventh innings, and it has helped me get more consistent with not just my fastball, but also my changeup and breaking ball."Turner hasn't posted that monster strikeout rate that makes you stand up and take notice (like Matt Moore has), but he doesn't lack the stuff to succeed. He works off a 92-94 mph two-seam fastball that has sink, but he can dial up his four-seamer when he needs to, and the ball appears to get on hitters quickly, given his deceptive delivery."Obviously strikeouts are great, but if you keep the pitch count down, save the bullpen and go deep into the game, it helps the team in all facets," Turner said.Turner's primary off-speed pitch is a 75-78 mph, 12-to-6 curveball that projects as a plus pitch, a true downer that can be a chase pitch or a swing-and-miss offering. Turner has made progress with his changeup, as well. He still doesn't have a lot of feel for it, but he sells it well with his arm speed, and it should become a solid third pitch in time. He also has been toying with a slider in bullpen sessions and has started to throw a few of them in game situations.As you would expect from a young pitcher lacking a ton of experience, Turner needs to iron out the inconsistencies in his game. He needs to make sure he doesn't get ahead of himself in his delivery, making sure he stays back and drives off his back leg, then repeating it. He needs more consistency with both of his secondary pitches and polish on his fastball command to succeed at the higher levels, but the ability is there, and he's not far from having big league success.Turner has the raw ability to eventually settle in behind Verlander as the No. 2 starter in the Tigers' rotation. The Tigers might not wind up pushing Turner as aggressively as some of their past prospects, but he's still likely to be a big part of their 2012 plans.

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