IP | 40 |
---|---|
ERA | 5.18 |
WHIP | 1.43 |
BB/9 | 7.2 |
SO/9 | 9.45 |
- Full name John Noble Meyer
- Born 01/10/2005 in Tualatin, OR
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore.
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Drafted in the 1st round (10th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2023 (signed for $4,500,000).
View Draft Report
School: Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore. Source: HS
Commit/Drafted: Oregon
Age At Draft: 18.5
BA Grade:60/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
Meyer established himself as the top prep pitching prospect during the 2022 summer showcase circuit, as he continued improving his fastball velocity and also showed one of the better breaking balls in the class. After pitching in the upper 80s and touching low 90s in 2021, Meyer now sits with a fastball in the low 90s and has touched as high as 98 mph. A tall and lean, 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander, Meyer has a similar frame to fellow Northwest prep righthander Mick Abel at the same time. He works with a clean and athletic delivery, and while his arm action is a bit long in his takeback, he showed solid ability to repeat a lower, three-quarter arm slot and lacks much violence in his finish. His delivery and excellent athleticism have allowed him to consistently showcase advanced touch and feel for a prep arm, particularly one with Meyer’s size and stuff. He primarily works with a fastball/slider combination and used that combo to dominate hitters over the summer. At his best, like his brief outing at Perfect Game’s National showcase where he struck out six in two innings, he flashes a pair of 70-grade pitches with good control. The fastball sat in the mid 90s with powerful running life that on multiple occasions ripped his catcher’s glove off and his mid-80s slider features tons of horizontal, sweeping life and has wipeout potential with spin rates that get into the 3,000 rpm range. Meyer has infrequently used a firm, upper-80s changeup that has diving life but needs to add more feel for the pitch. Meyer combines the pure stuff of Abel with the advanced control that Phillies first-rounder Andrew Painter showed at the same age. Meyer is committed to Oregon but is a top-15-caliber talent with mid-rotation upside.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme.
Track Record: Meyer hails from the same Oregon high school as Phillies 2020 first-round righthander Mick Abel and was similarly regarded heading into his draft. Meyer was drafted 10th overall in 2023, the first high school pitcher taken that year. He had an up-and-down first full season in 2024, pitching to a 2.65 ERA in Low-A before being promoted to High-A Beloit and struggling there. The most concerning aspect of his season was a 17% walk rate which was one of the highest in the minor leagues.
Scouting Report: Meyer stands 6-foot-5 with a projectable frame and a loose, easy arm action with three different pitches that flash above-average potential. Meyer looks like he’s playing catch on the mound, unleashing fastballs with ease that cruise at 91-95 mph. He ramps up to 97 with plenty of armside run. Both of his secondaries can be inconsistent but show the makings and shape of future above-average offerings. His slider is a Frisbee sweeper that runs away from righthanded hitters’ bats. He will toggle the velocity up or down, and it can be sharp when it’s in the 83-84 mph range. His changeup will show fade and bottom to it when he turns it over, and he sells it with good arm speed. However, his fastball can be hittable at the lower registers, and both of his secondaries lack crispness at their lower ranges as well. His present command of all three pitches is scattershot, and he often falls behind in the count. He will need to make major strides in strike-throwing to be a starter.
The Future: Meyer will need both continued projection and a major improvement in control to hit his ceiling as a No. 2 or 3 starter, with many scouts optimistic about both areas for improvement. He will likely return to High-A to begin 2025.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 40 -
BA Grade: 60/Extreme
Track Record: A high school All-American and the Gatorade Player of the Year for Oregon, Meyer excelled at Jesuit High in 2023 and pitched his way to a minuscule 0.33 ERA with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 128-to-19 in 63 innings. Meyer was the first high school pitcher off the board in 2023, selected 10th overall by the Marlins and signed him for $4.5 million. That was 18% under the slot value of $5,480,000 for the pick. Meyer threw 11 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Jupiter in his pro debut. He notched 15 strikeouts against seven walks.
Scouting Report: The 6-foot-5 Meyer features a lively 93-95 mph fastball that tops out at 96 and 97. It has plenty of natural armside run given Meyer’s three-quarters arm slot as well as heavy sink at times. It bears in on the hands of righthanded hitters, making for a rather uncomfortable at-bat. Meyer’s command of the pitch was a bit scattered in his pro debut, but the sample was extremely small and his overall control is above-average. Meyer supplements his heater with a double-plus slider that has plenty of sharp, horizontal movement. It generates tons of swings and is a true out pitch. The spin rate of the pitch has eclipsed the 3,000 rpm mark, which is well above the major league average. To round out his arsenal, Meyer features a mid-80s changeup that he occasionally throws. It is an inconsistent offering, but it has flashed armside fade. Given Meyer’s arm slot, it is easy to dream on what the changeup might become, but for now it is an average pitch. The continued development of the offering will be key when it comes to maximizing Meyer’s upside as a starter. In high school, Meyer displayed above-average control and command of his arsenal, but it wavered in his pro debut. He moves well on the mound and has a loose, whippy arm stroke with exceptional arm speed. Meyer falls off toward the first-base side, which was certainly a contributing factor in his spotty control. Cleaning up his direction should not be too tall a task, and will likely lead to improved strike-throwing. As Meyer continues to mature physically and fill out his frame, he could add a few ticks of velocity.
The Future: Meyer projects to start the 2024 season at Low-A Jupiter, but will likely be promoted to High-A Beloit at some point. There is no reason to rush Meyer, but there is an outside chance he makes it to Double-A Pensacola by season’s end. His potential MLB debut is still years away, but he could make his debut by 2026 or 2027. Meyer is a top-of-the-line pitching prospect and has the potential to be a future no. 1 or no. 2 starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55
Draft Prospects
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School: Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore. Source: HS
Commit/Drafted: Oregon
Age At Draft: 18.5
BA Grade:60/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
Meyer established himself as the top prep pitching prospect during the 2022 summer showcase circuit, as he continued improving his fastball velocity and also showed one of the better breaking balls in the class. After pitching in the upper 80s and touching low 90s in 2021, Meyer now sits with a fastball in the low 90s and has touched as high as 98 mph. A tall and lean, 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander, Meyer has a similar frame to fellow Northwest prep righthander Mick Abel at the same time. He works with a clean and athletic delivery, and while his arm action is a bit long in his takeback, he showed solid ability to repeat a lower, three-quarter arm slot and lacks much violence in his finish. His delivery and excellent athleticism have allowed him to consistently showcase advanced touch and feel for a prep arm, particularly one with Meyer’s size and stuff. He primarily works with a fastball/slider combination and used that combo to dominate hitters over the summer. At his best, like his brief outing at Perfect Game’s National showcase where he struck out six in two innings, he flashes a pair of 70-grade pitches with good control. The fastball sat in the mid 90s with powerful running life that on multiple occasions ripped his catcher’s glove off and his mid-80s slider features tons of horizontal, sweeping life and has wipeout potential with spin rates that get into the 3,000 rpm range. Meyer has infrequently used a firm, upper-80s changeup that has diving life but needs to add more feel for the pitch. Meyer combines the pure stuff of Abel with the advanced control that Phillies first-rounder Andrew Painter showed at the same age. Meyer is committed to Oregon but is a top-15-caliber talent with mid-rotation upside.