Max Meyer

If you’re looking for the best pure stuff in the 2020 draft class, Meyer might be your guy. A two-time member of USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team, Meyer is a two-way player for Minnesota with a long track record of excellence on the mound. After posting a 2.06 ERA as a reliever as a freshman in 2018, Meyer successfully transitioned to starting in 2019 and posted a 2.11 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 76.2 innings (10.2 strikeouts per nine). He took over the Friday night role this spring and was rapidly ascending draft boards before the season was cut short. Meyer has two premium, 70-grade offerings in his arsenal. He holds a mid-90s fastball deep into outings and runs it up to 97-98 mph, while his slider is the best in the 2020 draft class. Meyer's slider is not only hard, reaching 92-93 mph, but it has tremendous movement and depth and he has excellent command of it. He can loosen it for strikes or tighten it for chases out of the zone at will. Some veteran evaluators have called it the best amateur slider they've ever scouted. Meyer also has a mid-80s changeup with slight tailing life and above-average potential, giving him the third pitch needed to start. Meyer is undersized at 6-foot, 185 pounds, but he holds his stuff and there’s not a concerning amount of effort in his delivery. He has a history of throwing quality strikes and is one of the more athletic pitchers to come out of the draft in recent years. Meyer draws comparisons to other small but high-octane starters like Sonny Gray and Marcus Stroman. He's gone from a late-first round option to a potential top-10 pick thanks to his early-season performance.