Meyer listed as 10th best RH pitching prospect

[gunnarthor]

mlb.com's rankings are coming out slowly but they've already released the top 10 RH pitchers.  The listings are made by Callis and Mayo.  Callis, of course, used to be the BA guru.  I like him and Mayo better than any of the other rankers out there.  Mayo has very good industry contacts so he tends to know a bit more about how teams rank players.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2015/#list=rhp

 

Meyer is #10, which means he's probably a top 25 overall prospect on their list.  (LH pitchers will be released later today - but we won't have any of those guys.)

 

"In his first season with the Twins after joining them via the Denard Span trade, Meyer managed to throw just 78 1/3 innings because of shoulder issues. Eager to prove his worth to the team that dealt for him, Meyer did just that in 2014, staying healthy and throwing well in Triple-A while also pitching in the Futures Game in what he hopes to be his home park, Target Field.

Coming from his huge 6-foot-9 frame, Meyer's upper-90s fastball gets on hitters in a hurry. He throws downhill, with sink, consistently, leading to groundballs when he isn't missing bats. His sharp slider adds to the strikeout rate, 10.4 per nine innings through 2014, and his changeup has improved, giving him another sinking weapon. Meyer still struggles with his command -- his walk rate jumped back up in 2014 -- largely because so much can go wrong with a delivery from a pitcher this tall. That, along with shoulder fatigue at the very end of the season, may have been the reason why the Twins didn't bring him up last September.

The 25-year-old Meyer is ready for a shot and could make a big contribution to a young rotation in 2015. If he can harness his stuff a bit more consistently, he could stick around for a long while."

[ashbury]

W00t!

[nater79a]

Surprised. I actually thought Berrios would have ranked higher than Meyer. Maybe Berrios in the 25-30 range (in the top 100 prospects) and Meyer around 60-65. That being said, the scouts like the big 6-5 (or taller) big-bodied workhorses so I'm sure that plays into it. Be interesting to see where Berrios and Stewart land when the 100 comes out 1/30.

[KGB]

The 25-year-old Meyer is ready for a shot and could make a big contribution to a young rotation in 2015. If he can harness his stuff a bit more consistently, he could stick around for a long while."

 

 

"young rotation", they must be talking about our AAA staff.

[ashbury]

"young rotation", they must be talking about our AAA staff.

Or a trade.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Surprised. I actually thought Berrios would have ranked higher than Meyer. Maybe Berrios in the 25-30 range (in the top 100 prospects) and Meyer around 60-65. That being said, the scouts like the big 6-5 (or taller) big-bodied workhorses so I'm sure that plays into it. Be interesting to see where Berrios and Stewart land when the 100 comes out 1/30.

I think you've got Berrios and Meyer flipped.  Meyer was ranked 28-45 by the major lists last winter, and if this list is any indication, should be right around 25 again.

 

Berrios was the guy low on lists last winter (75-90, unranked by BA) so even a consensus 60 rank would be moving up for him.  He is definitely a rising star, and he was very effective but didn't dominate in his AA debut (6.2 K/9).  I think that's keeping him behind Meyer and out of this top 10 right now.

 

One guy in this top 10 I had never heard of before -- Luis Severino, Yankees.  3 months older than Berrios, similar physical size, but lit up AA with a 10.4 K/9 in his first taste.

[gunnarthor]

I think you've got Berrios and Meyer flipped.  Meyer was ranked 28-45 by the major lists last winter, and if this list is any indication, should be right around 25 again.

 

Berrios was the guy low on lists last winter (75-90, unranked by BA) so even a consensus 60 rank would be moving up for him.  He is definitely a rising star, and he was very effective but didn't dominate in his AA debut (6.2 K/9).  I think that's keeping him behind Meyer and out of this top 10 right now.

 

One guy in this top 10 I had never heard of before -- Luis Severino, Yankees.  3 months older than Berrios, similar physical size, but lit up AA with a 10.4 K/9 in his first taste.

I believe Severino was signed for 225K by the Yankees a few years ago and just broke out this season.  Yankee prospects can be overrated on occasion but he looks like a stud.  Funnily enough, I haven't read the same "too short" complaints about him that I have read about Berrios.  That said, I sure haven't read every article on him.

[gunnarthor]

I forgot to mention one thing.  Of the 10 RH pitchers, only three (Severino, Bundy and Meyer) are  in the AL.  

 

The LH list came out today.  A much less impressive group.  Urias and Rodon are probably the only two who profile as aces.  Maybe Norris, if he can stay healthy.  

[bird]

I think I read a response to a commenter that said 36 of the top 100 prospects will be RHP's. For the Twins, isn't it likely we see Meyer, Berrios, Stewart, and Burdi? Is May no longer eligible?

[nater79a]

If you check out the current MLBPipeline 2014 rankings Meyer is at #27 and Berrios is at #33. Not sure if that is a mid-season update or not.

[Secondary User]

I think I read a response to a commenter that said 36 of the top 100 prospects will be RHP's. For the Twins, isn't it likely we see Meyer, Berrios, Stewart, and Burdi? Is May no longer eligible?

May is still elligible

[Platoon]

"young rotation", they must be talking about our AAA staff.

Maybe they have the Twins confused with one of the other 27 teams in the league. In just a few years Meyer will shoot up to #1 on the top prospect list of RH SP over 30!

[Thrylos]

Because certain lists have Berrios (and even Stewart!?) ranked higher than Meyer, it does not mean that Meyer is not the better prospect. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

I believe Severino was signed for 225K by the Yankees a few years ago and just broke out this season.  Yankee prospects can be overrated on occasion but he looks like a stud.  Funnily enough, I haven't read the same "too short" complaints about him that I have read about Berrios.  That said, I sure haven't read every article on him.

The linked article here says he is "lacking a prototypical build" for a starter.

[nater79a]

I think I read a response to a commenter that said 36 of the top 100 prospects will be RHP's. For the Twins, isn't it likely we see Meyer, Berrios, Stewart, and Burdi? Is May no longer eligible?

 

My guess is we'll see six Twins in the 100: Buxton, Sano, Meyer, Berrios, Stewart and Gordon.

[bird]

My guess is we'll see six Twins in the 100: Buxton, Sano, Meyer, Berrios, Stewart and Gordon.

 

Those are pretty much the gimmes. It'll be interesting to see if any of Burdi, Polanco, May, or Thorpe sneak in.

[Seth Stohs]

Of all of the prospect rankings I've seen, I am most skeptical of the MLB Pipeline. I think they still have Felix Jorge at #11 and some other interesting choices.

 

Berrios is a better prospect right now than Meyer, though he may have further to go before he's ready, though he's more than 4 years younger, so that makes sense. 

[gunnarthor]

I think I read a response to a commenter that said 36 of the top 100 prospects will be RHP's. For the Twins, isn't it likely we see Meyer, Berrios, Stewart, and Burdi? Is May no longer eligible?

I think Berrios and Stewart are locks for top 50 status.  May could sneak in considering his strong season last year.  Mayo and Callis are more likely to reward a guy in AAA on their lists than most.  But I still don't think he gets in.  Certainly some lists (BP, BA, Klaw, Sickels) will have more than 6 Twins and BP loves Thorpe so I expect he'll be on some (and they could have as many as 9 Twins in their top 101).  Burdi is interesting.  Most lists don't like relievers but he has to be considered one of the few big relief prospects so a few places might rank him.  

[gunnarthor]

Yesterday's BP chat guy answered this question:

 

Matt (NJ): Hey Doug, if you had to name two or three SPs who's current status in scouting and fantasy circles underrates their mechanics (a la Kluber getting an A- grade this time last year), who would you go with?

 

Doug Thorburn: Gausman has a B delivery, as does Danny Salazar (when he's on). I would also put Alex Meyer in that category (B grade mechanics), given that his delivery is much better than is often credited, as everyone worries about him coordinating his size.''

 

So it's nice to read a good thing about his mechanics.  Man, I hope he breaks camp with the big club.