Jacob Turner is only 19 years old, but is already considered the future of the Tigers pitching staff.

The Detroit Tigers selected RHP Jacob Turner ninth overall in the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, then he headed straight from Westminster Christian Academy to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps.

Turner went 2-3 with a 3.67 ERA during his stint the Whitecaps in 11 appearances that lasted 54 innings. The youngster was then sent to the advanced Single-A Lakeland to finish the season where he went 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 13 starts.

I was lucky enough to ask Jacob a few questions about his youth, his decision coming out of high school, his ranking among prospects and more! Here is the interview…

1. Which MLB player(s) did most idolize as a kid?

JT: My favorite player growing up was Roger Clemens. I just loved his mentality on the mound.

2. When did you realize you had a special talent as a pitcher?

JT: I started to realize it around my freshman year of high school. I started developing physically which lead to more velocity and allowed me to start separating myself.

3. After being selected 9th overall in the 2009 draft by the Tigers, what made up your mind to head to the minor leagues rather than take the scholarship at North Carolina?

JT: That was defiantly a tough decision, because both were great opportunities. Ultimately, it came down to that my dream was to play professional baseball and I wanted to pursue that.

4. What does it mean to be ranked by Baseball America as the #26 national prospect before the 2010 season and #15 nationally by the MLB before this season?

JT: Obviously its great to be recognized as a top prospect, but ultimately every minor leaguer is in the same position striving to reach the major leagues.

5. What kind of pressure comes with those high rank numbers at a young age?

JT: I don’t feel there is any added pressure on me because of a certain ranking. You just have to go out everyday and try to improve.

6. What are you trying to prove to Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland this spring?

JT: I want to show the Tigers organization that I have improved over the past year, and that I am ready for whatever the next challenge might be.