Twins Daily Draft Preview: Noble Meyer

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.

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
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Check out our 2026 mock draft board, updated regularly, and with detailed player write-ups!