Twins Daily Draft Preview: Noble Meyer

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Noble Meyer is the highest ranked high school pitcher in this year's draft. Checking in at 12th overall on the Consensus Big Board, Meyer offers a full arsenal already, but comes from the most debated demographic: prep right-handed pitchers. 

 

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Over the next two weeks, we're going to be providing you with profiles of 10 players the Twins could take with the 5th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Who is He?
Noble Meyer is an 18-year-old from Oregon who, unfortunately, happened to graduate high school in the same year that the draft is loaded. Due to the COVID-shortened 2020 draft - which pushed many high school players to college - there is an abundance of top-end talent. Players like Noble Meyer become more afterthoughts than they would in a typical year. 

Meyer hails from the same high school that produced Mick Abel and is exactly what you want a pitching prospect to be. He's tall (6' 5") but has room to fill out. He already throws a plus fastball that has hit triple digits and a plus slider in the mid-80s. He's shown good feel for a change-up as well. It's *easy* to project his ceiling as someone who leads a rotation. In a normal year, Meyer is getting a lot of love in the Top 5. 

Why the Twins Will Draft Him
Remember when the Twins drafted Kohl Stewart fourth overall in 2013? I do and am not afraid to admit that I loved the pick at the time. Since the Twins have avoided using any of their high first round picks on a high school pitcher. They did draft Chase Petty - and flipped him for Sonny Gray - but that was a late round pick.

Kohl Stewart - and now Noble Meyer - oozed upside. And when you want to take a big swing, swing for the fences. That's what Noble Meyer would be. Sure, the team missed on Kohl Stewart. Sure, the team looks like they missed on Keoni Cavaco. But the third time could be a charm. 

Right now, the Twins top-end pitching shelf is pretty bare. Connor Prielipp is having arm issues, but was a welcome gamble last year. Marco Raya, recently promoted to Wichita, was a true gem found in the 2020 draft. But neither really project as a guy to lead a rotation. Noble Meyer could. Yes, there would be significant risk. It would require lots of patience. The luck went the Twins way in the lottery... and it could go their way again with Noble Meyer.

Why the Twins Won't Draft Him
Aside from all the reasons listed above, namely the risk being enormous, there's also the case of how the Twins set their draft board.

Obviously, we're not in the draft room. (If you're reading this and are someone who is in the draft room, consider extending me an invitation. Only as a spectator.) But the way of the Twins recently is to draft bats in the first round and maybe with one of the next two picks before transitioning to drafting mostly, if not all, pitchers on the second day. Take a bat you believe in first, the best player(s) on your board to round out Sunday, then take the best pitcher on your board for the rest of the first 10 rounds. 

Take as many swings at the pitching pinata as you can.... just not necessarily with your first swing.

Maybe the Twins view Meyer differently. Maybe he's the exception to the rule - and there's certainly steam that they like him. Or maybe... just maybe... the Twins have visions of grandeur and think they can manipulate their pool to get Meyer, just not at #5.

What do you think of Noble Meyer as a prospect? How would you feel about him being the Twins pick at 5 overall? Join the discussion in the comments.

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Previous Draft Articles and Profiles
Rhett Lowder
Jacob Gonzalez
Jacob Wilson
Wyatt Langford
Kyle Teel
Chase Dollander

Nygaard Mock Draft v.2

Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50
Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25

 

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[Dman]

Taking Prep pitchers high scares me.  Most Mocks have Meyer in the 9 to 10 range and a few lower than that mainly based on how difficult it is to project hard throwing righties from High School.  Given the college pitching options ahead of him I just don't see the Twins using the number 5 pick on someone like that unless they are cutting a deal for guys later in the draft.  

Still Petty seems like a pick that is going to work out and the Twins know a heck of a lot more about arms than I do.  It just seems kind of hard to take a wild card in that spot when it feels like there is more solid talent at the top this year.

[Cory Engelhardt]

This would not at all be my first choice or even my 8th choice. But I would be more excited with him than either Gonzalez or Wilson. If they believe they can develop this guy I wouldn’t hate it

[Mike Sixel]

Saw him interviewed on local tv last night. He comes from a great academic school. Seems like a good young man. No idea how good he is. 

[Beast]

I wouldn’t be disappointed by this pick.

If they’re going to stray from the big 5 to defer money to a later round, I’d prefer they go this route vs. someone like Teel.

To be clear, I’d rather they they just take Clark, Langford, etc.  But, if they feel the need to get cute, shoot for the moon in terms of potential upside. 

[weitz41]

I'd prefer most of the top 5 over him. But like others said if it's an under-slot deal that frees up money for later picks. Sign me up. I like his upside and if the extra money allows for one or two more high ceiling picks I wouldn't complain. It would just depend on who's there at 5.

[Otaknam]

A Meyer pick would surprise me. But doing an under slot deal to make a splash at their next pick would be interesting to follow.

[HrbieFan]

Going this route would definitely be a prearranged deal and save the Twins a mil or 2 at #5, allowing them to overspend with the other picks.  If that is the case, I would fine with it.  

[TopGunn#22]

I thought the end of the article hinted that if he was there at #34 the Twins would pounce.  That makes more sense to me.  I see a bat being drafted at #5 unless Skenes somehow falls to the Twins there.  Skenes is the only pitcher I could see the Twins considering if he falls to them.  I'm still leaning toward the draft being chalk for the first 4 picks and the Twins picking Max Clark who will be their CF of the future.  We NEED a legit CF prospect and Clark would not only be the best available player but would check a needed box.   

[twinkiesfan11]

If the Twins would prefer an under slot candidate at 5 I think Noble Meyer would be my preferred option. High upside arm at 5 and use the cost savings to snag a couple of over slot bats later on. Would be very un-Falvine like but something like 

5 - Noble Meyer

34 - Dillon Head

49 - Roch Cholowski 

would be a fun start to the draft

[chpettit19]

Noble at 5? No, thanks. Noble at 34? Yes, please.

I want nothing to do with high school arms at the top of the draft. Yes, it's possible you hit on a true ace, but it's far more likely you hit on a kid who maxes out as a AA pitcher at the age of 27. I don't expect the Twins to be able to pull any magic to get Noble to 34, unless they're going under slot at 5, and way under slot at 49 probably. If under slot at 5 is Clark, and you can snag Noble at 34 I absolutely am willing to go senior sign at 49, but I'm not risking my guys dropping to 34 and/or 49 to take a high school arm at 5. Get the highest ceiling position player at 5, and don't get cute.

[TNtwins85]

Take Clark at 5. Stock up on arms with the next 6-7 picks. If we’re taking arms then take Dollander or Lowder. I’m perfectly fine with those 2 at 5 as opposed to Meyer. As others said about a slot deal maybe. But there’s so much other talent at 5 that I’d prefer almost any of the other top 10 guys at this point.