Brad Meyers Stats & Scouting Report

IP	483
ERA	3.168
WHIP	1.267
BB/9	2.217
SO/9	7.286

Full name Bradley Steven Meyers
Born 09/13/1985 in Santa Ana, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Loyola Marymount
Drafted in the 5th round (160th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2007 (signed for $145,800).

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Projected as a possible sandwich pick coming out of high school in 2004, Meyers was a 14th-round pick out who eschewed pro ball to pitch at Loyola Marymount. Three years later, the scouting consensus sees him as fourth- to sixth-round talent. But with the shortage of college righthanders and his still-projectable 6-foot-6 frame, Meyers should go higher. Some rumors had him headed for the sandwich round, perhaps to Oakland. Meyers remains a projection pick, as his velocity has never jumped into the plus range. He has flashed 92-93 mph readings on his fastball from time to time but more ordinarily sits in the 88-90 mph range, at times with a good downhill plane. Meyers' best present attribute is his ability to throw strikes with the fastball, as well as his late-breaking curveball, a solid-average pitch. He also throws a slider and changeup. Meyers doesn't fare well in comparison to other SoCal college righthanders such as UCLA's Tyler Brummett, Pepperdine's Barry Enright or Cal State Fullerton's Wes Roemer in his competitiveness or mound moxie, but he has a better pro body and better stuff.

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Durability has been a repeated question about Meyers since he turned pro as a fifth-round pick in 2007. A dead arm caused his velocity to dip into the mid-80s in 2008. He missed a few starts with a heel injury in 2009, though he led the minors with a 1.72 ERA and earned the Nationals' minor league pitcher of the year award. That December, he had left foot surgery to address a stress fracture suffered while jogging months earlier, and he didn't make his 2010 debut until May. After a dominant six-start stretch, Meyers was sidelined for the rest of the season because screws from his surgery caused problems with the bone in his foot. He had another operation in the fall, and while Washington believes his second surgery was more successful, he may not be completely healthy for the start of the 2011 season. When healthy, Meyers pounds the zone with a polished four-pitch mix. His 88-90 mph fastball bumps 92, and it plays up because of the deceptive angles created by his lanky body and high front side in his delivery. He has excellent command of his fastball and three secondary pitches: an average changeup, average slider and a short curve that he uses as a show pitch. If Meyers can stay healthy, he could be a solid back-of-therotation starter as soon as 2011. He's certainly ready to tackle Triple-A whenever he gets a clean bill of health.
Meyers opened his pro career by pitching 24 consecutive scoreless innings in 2007 and led the minor leagues with a 1.72 ERA last season, but the road in between was rocky. He came down with a dead arm in the second half of his pro debut and saw his fastball dip to 82-85 mph during a rough 2008 campaign. He improved his mechanics, velocity and fastball command to post a dominant 2009, reaching Double-A and capturing the organization's pitcher of the year award. Long and lanky with a high three-quarters arm slot, Meyers pitches downhill with an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 92. He locates the pitch very well to both sides of the plate, and he induces swings and misses thanks to its life and deception. Meyers' four-pitch mix also includes an average 82-84 mph slider, an average changeup with some fade and a short curveball that he uses as a show pitch. Meyers pounds the zone, but his stuff is not overpowering and his upside is limited to the back of a big league rotation. He also must overcome lingering questions about his durability. Even in his breakout 2009 season, he missed a few starts in July with a heel injury. Meyers should get a crack at Triple-A in 2010, though he could start the year back in Harrisburg.