WAREHAM, Mass. — Determination and growth are the name of the game — and second-year Wareham Gatemen infielder/outfielder Colby Turner has done just about everything to prove it.

The rising junior from the University of Michigan has been selected to his first Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game and will represent Wareham as the team’s only starter, playing in the outfield.

“That was my personal goal coming here.” Turner said, “I was really excited. It means a lot. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaches who have helped develop me and get me to where I am today.”

In 2024, Turner appeared in 35 games for the Gatemen, slashing .240/.327/.320 with a .647 OPS. He added five doubles, one home run and seven RBIs.

This summer, Turner has already shown significant growth at the plate. Through 20 games in 2025, he’s slashing .242/.329/.435 with a .764 OPS, while tallying three doubles, three home runs and a team-leading 13 RBIs.

Despite playing 15 fewer games, Turner has improved in every major offensive category except doubles — a mark that could soon change. That improvement, in part, may be credited to what Head Coach Ryan Smyth and Hitting Coach Mike Mobbs call “boring BP.”

“One thing we talked about and changed was his approach at the plate,” Smyth said. “There were too many fast, twitchy movements, and his batting practice wasn’t great. So, I had him revert to a method used by a former teammate, Murf Gray, who took what we called the ‘boringest’ BP — simple, consistent and effective. Getting back to that ‘Murf Gray BP’ helped him start barreling the ball, seeing the whole field and becoming a multi-dimensional hitter instead of a one-trick pony.”

Mobbs explained the similarities between Murf Gray’s approach to batting practice in 2024 and how Turner has adopted the same method to improve his game.

“We’ve seen Turner fall into the same groove,” Mobbs said. “He has home run power and could probably hit a ton of BP homers if he wanted to, but he stays within himself and focuses on how many line drives with backspin he can hit to three o’clock. He’s really turning into a professional hitter—not just in games, but in his approach before the games. He understands he has home run power, but doesn’t feel the need to showcase it in batting practice. Instead, he’s realizing that hitting line drives with backspin during BP will translate to plenty of doubles and homers during the game. He’s becoming a well-rounded hitter, both in his approach and his results.”

Turner has felt a clear difference in his approach at the plate.

“I’m shortening everything up—my swing and my timing,” he explained. “There’s a lot more velocity out here, with different pitching styles from sidearm to over the top. I’m just keeping my approach simple and focused. It’s also helpful to have coaches talking to me after every game—going over what I need to improve and identifying my strengths and weaknesses. The help from Smyth and Mobbs in shortening everything up—my swing and my approach from the outfield and infield—has really helped me this summer.”

Even while improving as a hitter, Turner hasn’t just been focused on adjustments at the plate.

“I’m just trying to play every position I can and perform to the best of my ability.”

Although Turner is listed as an infielder at Michigan, he has been learning multiple positions in Wareham, moving between second base, third base, and all outfield spots. Turner values this versatility and hopes to bring these skills back to his Michigan team.

Wearing the Wareham Gatemen uniform and playing at Spillane Field has meant a great deal to Turner.

“Being out here is awesome. The fans out here are great. I’ve built some really good relationships with a lot of them, and it’s been really cool.

Turner emphasized that being on the Cape for a second summer has helped him grow not just on the field, but mentally as well.

“Being in the Cape League has humbled me a lot,” Turner said. “I’ve learned who I am as a player and what I need to work on going back to school. Just everything—playing multiple positions out here, trying to develop and get as good as I can. The fans out here are awesome. I’ve built some really good relationships with a lot of them, and it’s been really cool.”

Coach Smyth sees Turner’s growth and views him as a leader.

“He’s a kid who just wants to be here and win baseball games,” Smyth said. “You know, he’s tough—if you go to Michigan to play baseball and deal with that weather, you’re a tough kid. But beyond that, it’s his veteran leadership and understanding of the coaching staff that’s contagious to the other players, especially those here for the first time. That’s why he’s so valuable to me and why I wanted him back. I knew he was a really good ballplayer who could become an all-star this year—and he did.”

As Smyth said, Turner wants to win baseball games — and that’s exactly right.

“After the All-Star break, I want us to continue winning these games, make the playoffs and go on to win the championship.” Turner said.