Brice Turang

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Brice Turang

|image = Turang 2 61824 (cropped).jpg

|caption = Turang with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024

|team = Milwaukee Brewers

|number = 2

|position = Second baseman

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|11|21}}

|birth_place = Corona, California, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = March 30

|debutyear = 2023

|debutteam = Milwaukee Brewers

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = April 18, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .244

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 16

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 101

|stat4label = Stolen bases

|stat4value = 81

|teams =

Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

|awards =

Gold Glove Award (2024)

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}}

}}

Brice Craig Turang (born November 21, 1999) is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Brewers selected Turang in the first round, with the 21st overall selection, of the 2018 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and won a Gold Glove Award and Platinum Glove Award in 2024.

Amateur career

Turang attended Santiago High School in Corona, California. MaxPreps named Turang the national freshman of the year after he hit .475 with two home runs and 27 runs batted in (RBIs).{{cite web |last=Glaser |first=Kyle |date=July 16, 2015 |title=BASEBALL: Santiago's Turang named National Freshman of the Year |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2015/07/16/baseball-santiagos-turang-named-national-freshman-of-the-year/ |accessdate=March 27, 2023 |website=Press Enterprise |publisher=}} He also won USA Baseball's Richard W. "Dick" Case Award for his play on the national under-15 team.{{Cite web |last=Sondheimer |first=Eric |date=December 18, 2014 |title=Corona Santiago freshman Brice Turang wins USA Baseball's top award |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/varsity-times/la-sp-vi-corona-santiago-freshman-brice-turang-wins-usa-baseballs-top-award-20141218-story.html |access-date=June 28, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times}} As a junior in 2017, he hit .465 and struck out only once in 101 at bats.{{Cite web |date=2018-02-27 |title=Alexander: Decision can wait for Santiago’s Turang |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2018/02/26/alexander-decision-can-wait-for-santiagos-turang/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Press Enterprise |language=en-US}} In 2018, as a senior, he batted .352 with five home runs and 21 RBIs.{{cite web |date=June 4, 2018 |title=WeNext: Major League talent Brice Turang reaps rewards from abundant family tree |url=http://www.maxpreps.com/news/GXnHm10qrU6qQO151WupVA/wenext--major-league-talent-brice-turang-reaps-rewards-from-abundant-family-tree.htm |website=MaxPreps}} Turang committed to play college baseball at Louisiana State University.{{Cite web |last=Rosetta |first=Randy |date=September 8, 2015 |title=LSU baseball gets big news on two fronts with former star Louis Coleman's promotion, Brice Turang's commitment |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu-baseball-gets-big-news-on-two-fronts-with-former-star-louis-colemans-promotion-brice/article_a22b1194-706b-58ef-b2c1-dcfad8432329.html |website=NOLA.com}}

Professional career

The Milwaukee Brewers selected Turang in the first round, with the 21st overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2018/06/04/brewers-had-previous-relationship-first-round-pick-brice-turang/662329002/|title=Brewers had previous relationship with first-round pick Brice Turang, a prep shortstop|first=Tom|last=Haudricourt|website=Journal Sentinel}} He signed for a $3.4 million signing bonus and was assigned to the Arizona League Brewers before being promoted to the Helena Brewers in August.{{cite web |last=Cohn |first=Stephen |date=July 6, 2018 |title=First-rounder Turang signs with Brewers |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brice-turang-signs-with-brewers/c-284417014 |website=MLB.com}}{{cite web |date=August 1, 2018 |title=Milwaukee Brewers minor league roster moves: Brice Turang promoted; Jacob Nottingham to the DL |url=https://www.brewcrewball.com/2018/8/1/17641138/milwaukee-brewers-minor-league-roster-moves-brice-turang-promoted-jacob-nottingham-to-the-dl |website=Brew Crew Ball}} In 42 games between the two clubs, Turang batted .283 with one home run, 18 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=668930#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL|title=Brice Turang Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|accessdate=September 11, 2018}}

Turang began 2019 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, earning Midwest League All-Star honors.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/wisconsin/news/six-timber-rattlers-selected-to-play-in-2019-midwest-league-all-star-game/c-307771626|title = Six Timber Rattlers Selected to Play in 2019 Midwest League All-Star Game}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-brice-turang-ready-for-full-season-ball/|title=Brewers' Brice Turang: Ready for full-season ball|website=CBSSports.com|date=April 4, 2019 }} After slashing .287/.384/.376 with two home runs, 31 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases over 82 games with Wisconsin, he was promoted to the Carolina Mudcats in July.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/milwaukee-brewers-no-2-prospect-brice-turang-walks-off-up-to-another-l-308840746|title=Turang walks off, up to another level|website=MiLB.com}} Over 47 games with Carolina, he batted .200 with one home run, six RBIs, and nine stolen bases.{{cite web|url=https://reviewingthebrew.com/2021/08/03/brewers-prospect-brice-turang-jump-triple/|title = Brewers: No. 2 Prospect Brice Turang Makes the Jump to Triple-A|date = August 3, 2021}}

With the 2020 minor league season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Turang trained at the Brewers' alternate site in Appleton, Wisconsin.{{cite web | last=Adler | first=David | title=2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled | website=MLB.com | date=June 30, 2020 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled | access-date=February 9, 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Radcliffe |first=J. R. |title=Five things to know about Brewers rookie Brice Turang (and watch him get the news he made the team) |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2023/03/27/five-things-to-know-about-miwaukee-brewers-rookie-brice-turang/70052950007/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}} He started 2021 with the Biloxi Shuckers and was promoted to the Nashville Sounds in early August.{{cite web|url=https://www.wxxv25.com/shuckers-second-ranked-prospect-brice-turang-promoted-to-triple-a-nashville/|title=Brewers second-ranked prospect Brice Turang promoted to Triple-A Nashville|date=August 4, 2021}} Over 117 games between the two clubs, Turang slashed .258/.347/.362 with six home runs, 53 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.{{Cite news |last=Sammon |first=Will |title=Garrett Mitchell or Sal Frelick? Ranking the Milwaukee Brewers' 15 top position player prospects |url=https://theathletic.com/3040146/2021/12/29/garrett-mitchell-or-sal-frelick-ranking-the-milwaukee-brewers-15-top-position-player-prospects/ |work=The Athletic}} In 2022, Turang played for the Triple-A Nashville, where he slashed .286/.360/.412 with 13 home runs, 78 RBIs and 34 stolen bases.{{cite web |title=Brice Turang Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=turang002bri |website=baseball-reference.com}} On November 15, 2022, the Brewers added Turang to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web | last=Stern | first=Jack | title=Brewers protect Brice Turang, Abner Uribe, Cam Robinson, Jon Singleton from Rule 5 Draft | website=Brew Crew Ball | date=November 15, 2022 | url=https://www.brewcrewball.com/2022/11/15/23461057/milwaukee-brewers-protect-brice-turang-abner-uribe-cam-robinson-jon-singleton-from-rule-5-draft | access-date=February 9, 2025}}

On March 27, 2023, the Brewers announced that Turang had made the Opening Day roster.{{Cite web|title=Brewers' Brice Turang: Cracks Opening Day roster|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-brice-turang-cracks-opening-day-roster/amp/|access-date=March 27, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} Turang started on opening day, batting ninth and playing second base, hitting 1-for-3.{{Cite web |title=Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs Box Score: March 30, 2023 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN202303300.shtml |access-date=April 2, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} On April 2, Turang hit his first double, also driving in Rowdy Tellez for his first major league RBI.{{Cite web |title=Brice Turang's RBI double {{!}} February 4, 2023 |url=https://www.mlb.com/video/brice-turang-s-rbi-double |access-date=April 2, 2023 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} During the home opener against the New York Mets on April 3, Turang hit his first career home run, a grand slam off of Tommy Hunter.{{cite web | last=McCalvy | first=Adam | title=Brice Turang hits grand slam for first career home run | website=MLB.com | date=April 3, 2023 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brice-turang-hits-grand-slam-for-first-career-home-run | access-date=December 26, 2024}} He finished his rookie season batting .218 with 6 home runs and 26 steals in 448 plate appearances, but his defense at second base was above average, according to several advanced metrics.{{Cite web |title=Brice Turang Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/turanbr02.shtml |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Brice Turang - Stats - Advanced Fielding |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/brice-turang/22186/stats?position=2B#advanced-fielding |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=FanGraphs}}

In 2024, Turang batted .254/.316/.349 with seven home runs and 57 RBIs in 619 plate appearances. He had the lowest pull percentage of all major league batters, at 26.4 percent.{{Cite web |title=Major League Leaderboards - 2024 - Batting |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=al&lg=nl&qual=y&type=2&season=2024&month=0&season1=2024&ind=0&sortcol=13&sortdir=asc&pagenum=1&pageitems=2000000000 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250123084731/https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=al&lg=nl&qual=y&type=2&season=2024&month=0&season1=2024&ind=0&sortcol=13&sortdir=asc&pagenum=1&pageitems=2000000000 |archive-date=2025-01-23 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=FanGraphs}} He won the Platinum Glove Award, given to the league's best fielder, and a Gold Glove at second base.{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=David |date=November 9, 2024 |title=Raleigh, Turang honored for exceptional defense with Platinum Glove Awards |url=https://www.mlb.com/mariners/news/cal-raleigh-brice-turang-win-2024-platinum-glove-awards |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}

Personal life

His father, Brian Turang, played in two MLB seasons for the Seattle Mariners.{{cite web | last=Collazo | first=Carlos | title=Brice Turang Is The Latest Star In A Family Of Stellar Athletes | website=Baseball America | date=July 26, 2017 | url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/brice-turang-is-the-latest-star-in-a-family-of-stellar-athletes/ | access-date=December 7, 2024}} His mother Carrie played twice in the Women's College World Series (WCWS) for Long Beach State. His sister Brianna played in the WCWS three times for Oklahoma and is married to National Football League punter Tress Way. Sister Carissa played softball at Southern Miss and Cal State Fullerton and soccer at Oklahoma City University. Another sister, Cabria, played soccer at Utah. His sister Bailee played volleyball at Southern Nazarene University.{{cite news |last1=Halley |first1=Jim |title=Class of '18: No. 7 Santiago (Corona, Calif.) shortstop Brice Turang |url=https://usatodayhss.com/2017/18-for-18-no-8-santiago-corona-calif-shortstop-brice-turang |accessdate=July 2, 2020 |work=USA Today |date=August 18, 2017 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Carissa Turang |url=https://fullertontitans.com/sports/softball/roster/carissa-turang/3192 |accessdate=July 2, 2020 |website=Cal State Fullerton Athletics}}{{Cite web |title=Carissa Turang - 2015 - Women's Soccer |url=https://www.ocusports.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/carissa-turang/2963 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Oklahoma City University Athletics}}{{Cite web |last=McCalvy |first=Adam |date=March 22, 2022 |title=Athletic excellence a family business for this Brewers prospect |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-prospect-brice-turang-has-one-athletic-family |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}