Article: TD Twins Top Prospects: #5 Alex Meyer

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1362-TD-Twins-Top-Prospects-5-Alex-Meyer

[Oldgoat_MN]

Once again Seth, excellent article.

Sure have high hopes for this guy. Would be great to have a pitcher who we feel confident that there is a good chance to win the game everytime he takes the mound.

2013 should tell us a lot about him.

[nicksaviking]

I am excited about Meyer, but the point about needing patience should be concerning. Meyer is after all a Boras client, so an extension that gives the Twins a couple extra years is unlikely. If the Randy Johnson model is comparable, he'll likely walk for a large contract after his first standout year.

[Han Joelo]

Nice to read an article with a positive tone. This guy has huge upside, and its kind of weird to be talking about him as only the #5 prospect.

 

Regardless of any stats or quotes or anything else, the surest proof of Meyer's legitimacy is that he was traded straight up for Span.

 

Here's hoping this article can generate 4 pages of posts. If a negative nabob post about a AAAA waiver wire catcher can, this one sure should.

[MidwestMeat]

Great article.

 

I also love his upside but am nervous what early success would mean with Boras as his agent. Can't imagine he would be a Twin for long..

[Seth Stohs]

Here's hoping this article can generate 4 pages of posts. If a negative nabob post about a AAAA waiver wire catcher can, this one sure should.

 

Wouldn't that be nice to see on a positive article?

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

Seth--once again great article. For me Meyer is the key to this offseason--he could be a Twins ace for the long-term that we havent had since the 90s. Nats fans here didnt like losing him (even for Span) and now feel worse with the Gio issues in the latest drug scandal.

[Seth Stohs]

Reading a lot of Nationals' sites/articles, it's a very mixed bag on the trade. Some like it, others despite it and think it was crazy to give up Meyer for Span. It's the same with Twins sites. It's all about potential, and Meyer has incredible potential.

[roger]

Thanks Seth, appreciated this report. When I first heard of the trade, I immediately thought a right handed Randy Johnson. Remember commenting on that over at TT. Looked up Johnson's numbers at same age/level. It is scarry how similar they were and if my memory is correct, Meyer was actually a bit better.

 

I also think the Twins know a lot about this young man as they certainly have scouted UK a lot with all the players they have from there over the recent past. Was Albers also still there when Myer was a frosh?

 

I wounldn't worry a lot about the Boras relationship. Assuming they bring him up during the season they will have him for at least 6+ years. You all can worry about that in 2021!

[nfisch22]

I really thought it was a win-win trade for both teams. The Twins got much needed pitching depth and the nationals got their CF. Obviously we're gonna miss Span but trading away an area of strength for an area of need was a great move by the front office

[fairweather]

Meyer is the #2 or #3 prospect for the Twins.

[fairweather]

I can't wait to watch a Twins rotation led by Meyer and Berrios. I'm not sure that May will ever have good enough control for the Twins standards and I think he probably ends up a late inning reliever.

[ashbury]

> After developing a lot in college

 

Basically just a quibble, but I don't believe Meyer developed in such an unusual way that going from a 20th rounder as a high schooler to 1st round after college is out of the norm. He would surely have developed a lot had he signed the first time. Teams often use their late-round draft picks to go for high schoolers they expect will turn down any pro offer at that time, for the chance to offer him a good bonus and see if his mind changes. If somehow they could have put a gun to his head, a team might very well have drafted him in the 1st round that time too. I know you know all this (and probably more ), so as I said I am just quibbling about how you presented it in case a more casual reader came across it. Oh, and with the new bonus slotting rules that started last year, I guess we'll see less of this in the late rounds and more of it around round 10 or so?

[ashbury]

Wouldn't that be nice to see on a positive article?

 

I'm no fan of unrelenting negativity, but this is apples-to-oranges. That other article was "could the team go this one way, instead of the other". This one is "this guy sure looks good". Not much to say in response except "yup yup, he sure looks good." Well, maybe someone will bang his stick on the ground that they never should have traded Span, or that the trade should have netted them Dylan Bundy, but this is one of those rare instances of near unanimous opinion that they needed to trade from strength for pitching prospects not yet ready for the majors.

[Mike Sixel]

Yup, yup, good trade. I agree with the above, how do you get four pages out of an article like this? I suppose we could argue the ranking......that is probably the only point of controversy.

[Seth Stohs]

I'm no fan of unrelenting negativity, but this is apples-to-oranges. That other article was "could the team go this one way, instead of the other". This one is "this guy sure looks good". Not much to say in response except "yup yup, he sure looks good." Well, maybe someone will bang his stick on the ground that they never should have traded Span, or that the trade should have netted them Dylan Bundy, but this is one of those rare instances of near unanimous opinion that they needed to trade from strength for pitching prospects not yet ready for the majors.

 

He really struggled early in college both with pitching and control, but also in terms of maturity and such. By the time he left Kentucky, he actually had pretty decent control and pitches that looked to be pretty dominant.

[CDog]

I'm sure it's just a sign of shifting from "getting old" to "being old," but ever since their arrival, I've found myself having trouble keeping straight which is which of Meyer and May. Between them coming in similar fashion at almost the same time, having kinda sorta similar last names, the fact that everyone seems to want to put an 's' at the end of both of them...etc, almost every time I see one of them referred to, I have to take a moment or two to really think about which one it is. I am hopeful that I get to look forward to this confusion being relevant for the next decade or so.

[nicksaviking]

He really struggled early in college both with pitching and control, but also in terms of maturity and such. By the time he left Kentucky, he actually had pretty decent control and pitches that looked to be pretty dominant.

 

Perhaps the Twins should be offing a contract to the Kentucky pitching coach then

[Otwins]

I don't think that the agent factors in as much on a player that is in the minors and you control when he comes up. As much as i would like to see him pitch, a couple years in the minors makes a lot of sense. Hopefully June 2015. Good trade for both teams

[mlhouse]

He is one guy that I am willing to be patient on. I would like to see him start in AA and then see what happens.

[h2oface]

only time will tell if this was a good trade. for this year???...... unless span doesn't play at all..... i guess meyer will lose round one. paralyzed by hope is a common condition.

[jimbo92107]

Wow, what a great draft position the Twins will have in 2013 and 2014! Without the run production of Denard Span, the team's run total may well decline by 30 or 40 runs. Aaron Hicks may prove to be a better defensive CF, but his inexperience with major league pitching will probably result in a frustrating year at the plate.

 

Meanwhile, the Nationals will enjoy the services of a top-tier lead off hitter, and one of the most efficient, reliable center fielders in the game. Denard Span doesn't have a great arm, but what arm he's got he uses to best effect by getting himself into good position and making sure he's moving forward into the play. Span's professional attitude can only help the development of Bryce Harper, and his ability to get on base will provide plenty of opportunities to score runs for his new team.

 

Alex Meyer looks like a good prospect, and the signature he drew on my baseball looked very nice. However, Denard Span looks a lot more like sure thing, which is why I'm sure the Nationals jumped on this deal. I think I might just spend more time watching the Nationals this season than the Twins.

[Thrylos]

Frankly, getting Meyer on board, along with May, Gibson doing what he did last season, and Sano/Buxton being there, along with some other minor leaguers I want to check out, plus wanting to see Rich Harden pitch is what makes me really excited about this Spring Training.

 

One thing that has to be noted: Alex Meyer has the same grand total of pro seasons as Jose Berrios or Byron Buxton have under their belt: One. Still a lot of way to go and that way is up.

[Thrylos]

Alex Meyer looks like a good prospect, and the signature he drew on my baseball looked very nice. However, Denard Span looks a lot more like sure thing.

 

Denard Span was the second best CF in the Twins last season. He had an ok career with the Twins (when he did not fall asleep on the bases). He is one of those Twins who were better in the Dome than outside (check his numbers). The Twins sold high on someone that they had a lot of, and got something that did not have much of... Hicks/Benson/Buxton will be better than Span. Heck, Mastroianni might be able to do what Span did last year this year.

[lee_the_twins_fan]

It was a great trade for the Twins. Yes, we lost a great player, but we have – at least the chance – to have a #1 starter in a couple years. And the Nats get the leadoff player and CF they needed.

[Physics Guy]

Re: AAAA catcher thread, I can't believe I wasted my time getting to page 5.

 

Thanks for the article Seth. Meyer may only have one season in the minors, but it's pretty crazy to compare him to Berrios and Buxton (23 vs 18?). His college experience means something. I realize this is aggressive, but I'd like to see Meyer have a great year in AA and possibly get a September cup of coffee. I know it's more likely in 2014, but a guy can dream. Pitchers and Catchers, baby!!!

[Forever34]

As far as I can tell there is only one thing not to like about this guy- hs agent Scott Boras.

[drjim]

Why is everyone so worried about Boras? He is a good agent but he'll sign a market contract.

[Seth Stohs]

Thanks for the article Seth. Meyer may only have one season in the minors, but it's pretty crazy to compare him to Berrios and Buxton (23 vs 18?). His college experience means something. I realize this is aggressive, but I'd like to see Meyer have a great year in AA and possibly get a September cup of coffee. I know it's more likely in 2014, but a guy can dream. Pitchers and Catchers, baby!!!

 

I don't think that's an unrealistic dream at all. That said, he doesn't need to be added to the 40 man roster until after the 2014 season, so unless he's fully ready, it doesn't really make sense to add him in September and use a spot that someone else could take. That's the reason I would think 2014 is more likely. But like you said, if he pitches great and shows he's ready and they know they won't use an option, then by all means, it could happen.

[Seth Stohs]

Why is everyone so worried about Boras? He is a good agent but he'll sign a market contract.

 

Correct, but what he is very unlikely to do is sign a multi-year deal until Meyer is a free agent. That may prove beneficial to the Twins if he were to get hurt, but his clients typically go year to year to maximize their value.