Standing 6-foot-6-inches, Las Vegas Aviators pitcher Yunior Tur has an NBA wingspan and an MLB fastball.
Tur, who signed with the Athletics in 2022 out of Havana, Cuba, has come up big in several spots this year for Las Vegas. Despite pitching most of his games in relief, he’s second on the Aviators and 11th in the Pacific Coast League with 56 strikeouts. Tur is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA this year, holding batters to a .222 average.
Whether it’s preserving a win out of the bullpen or eating innings on short notice in a spot start, he has been a crucial part of the Aviators’ (49-30) success this year. That versatility could soon elevate Tur to the A’s bullpen.
“We wouldn’t be in the position we are … without Yunior’s contributions,” Las Vegas manager Fran Riordan said. “He’s just gotten better and better.”
Tur — ranked the No. 28 prospect in the Athletics’ system by MLB Pipeline — is one of the hardest-throwing arms Riordan has in his arsenal, with a fastball topping out at 98.4 mph. That heater has a little more juice on it when Tur comes out of the bullpen, averaging 95.9 mph compared to 95.1 mph as a starter.
While his fastball is a scout’s dream, his splitter has been the stuff of nightmares for batters. It’s the pitch Tur uses to put away hitters, throwing it often in two-strike counts. Of those 56 strikeouts, 31 have come on the splitter.
Early scouting reports focused on his fastball and slider, but adding the splitter has helped him miss bats as he has moved through the A’s minor league system. He said that he has learned how to pitch as a pro, not just throw heat.
“I’m a totally different pitcher,” Tur said through pitcher/translator Domingo Robles. “In Cuba, I was more fastball/curveball, but then, when I came here, I learned how to throw a split and how to throw a changeup.”
Tur comes through for the Aviators on the field and in the clubhouse. Always quick with a smile or a joke, he keeps things light for a team that has had plenty to celebrate this season. He’s a huge soccer fan, enjoying the show Lionel Messi is putting for Argentina in the World Cup.
“He’s a special talent and he’s a great guy,” Robles said. “He always has good energy and it’s always positive.”
Adding bat-missing breaking balls hasn’t been the only major adjustment for Tur. Having to be away from family, a sad reality for Cuban players in America, has been tough.
Tur said he keeps in touch as often as he can over the phone, but he carries his loved ones with him every time he takes the mound. Opposite that powerful right arm are tattoos with the names of beloved family members Mariela, Ruben, Xiomara, Encarnacion and Liliana.
“I haven’t seen my family in four years,” Tur said through Robles. “So having them on my arm helps me feel close to them.”
JKG gets big league call
The Athletics on Monday called up infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, the organization’s No. 9 prospect, and immediately had him hitting ninth in the order and playing second base against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With the Aviators, Kuroda-Grauer showed excellent contact and plate vision, leading the team with a .405 on-base percentage. He’s currently on a 22-game on-base streak, and had a 19-game hit streak snapped on Friday.
“We have a bunch of guys that go out there and try and win each and every day, which makes it fun,” Kuroda-Grauer said before the call-up. “It just makes you want to compete even more.”
Morris returns to A’s
The last time Kade Morris, the A’s 11th-ranked prospect, pitched at Sutter Health Park, he silenced the Sacramento River Cats over seven shutout innings on Wednesday. Now he’ll return to Sacramento, but this time as an Athletic.
The A’s on Monday recalled Morris, who had his big league debut earlier this month, but gave up nine runs in a loss to the Houston Astros.
Las Vegas opened a two-week road trip by winning five of six games against the Sacramento River Cats. Their starting pitchers were a key part of that, with Morris, Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, Joey Estes and Jacob Lopez turning in standout performances in Sacramento.
Zhuang, the organization’s No. 23 prospect, started the series Tuesday with his best outing of the year in an 11-2 win. The Taiwanese righty fanned six over 4 ⅔ innings, not allowing a run. Since May 12, Zhuang has cut his ERA from 8.66 to 6.37.
“His stuff had more quickness, it had more life, he was more confident,” Riordan said. “Hopefully he can build off that and continue to make strides.”
Estes held Sacramento to two runs over five innings on Thursday for his third victory. Lopez blanked the River Cats over six innings Saturday to earn his first win as an Aviator this year.
