Phillies Predicted to Replace Trea Turner With High-School Shortstop Daniel Pierce originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Trea Turner has served as a more-than-serviceable shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies since the two parties agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal ahead of the 2023 season.
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Turner has generated 9.4 wins above replacement (according to Baseball Reference), in addition to hitting .283 with 58 home runs, 176 RBIs, 69 stolen bases, and a .794 OPS, across 358 games in a Phillies uniform.
Turner is in the midst of his age-32 season (coincidentally, his birthday is June 30); because of this, it may behoove the Phillies to look for a potential shortstop replacement to ensure a seamless line of succession at the position.
However, such a transition does not need to be rushed, as Turner’s current contributions indicate he could have multiple years of productivity.
CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa believes the Phillies will go the high school route with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Axisa specifically predicts that the Phillies will use the pick to select Daniel Pierce, a shortstop out of Mill Creek High School in Georgia.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) advances to third in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
“The Phillies have not used their first-round pick on a college player since Bryson Stott in 2019, and with the way things have played out in this mock draft, I would expect them to go the high school route again,” Axisa wrote.
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“On talent, Pierce should go in the top 15-20 picks somewhere, but oftentimes these high schoolers make their way down into the compensation/competitive balance rounds, where teams with extra picks give them first-round bonuses with their extra pool money. The Phillies do not have an extra pick or extra bonus pool money, but Pierce is the kind of prospect they typically target.”
MLB.com’s scouting report of Pierce illustrates the profile of a player with strong all-around potential. Speed is his strong suit, but he also has similarly high marks in hitting, fielding, and arm strength. Even though he currently lacks power (in comparison to other attributes), the report expresses optimism that he will one day “develop into a 15-homer threat as he continues to add muscle.”
The outlet is high on Pierce, placing him 13th on its list of the top 100 prospects in this year’s draft. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic’s Keith Law, however, have him slightly lower at No. 20 and No. 24 in their respective rankings.
Related: Phillies Predicted to Replace Bryson Stott With Team USA Infielder
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.