Photo by Ed Delany
When Nick Meyer was selected by the New York Mets in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, he was known for two things: (1) being a great defensive catcher; and (2) a terrific mustache. Hitting was not the third.
That’s the way it’s played out in his professional career. So far, his best offensive output was an 84 wRC+ at Double-A Binghamton. While not awe inspiring, it was a significant step forwards after a 45 wRC+ with High-A St. Lucie the previous season.
On that front, that’s what you want to see from your prospects – progress. While the offensive numbers haven’t been outstanding, Meyer has continued to improve at the plate. Still, that didn’t prepare us for the leap we’ve seen from Meyer so far this season.
In the May 6 game against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, Meyer hit his second home run of the season.
Back-to-back with that #palksmash, this Nick Meyer 💣 pulls us within striking distance at 5-2! pic.twitter.com/tV3q0LlzCQ
— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 7, 2022
What’s impressive is it came against Aaron Barrett, a pitcher who has made 95 Major League relief appearances with a 2.88 FIP. Over 74 innings, he allowed 0.4 homers per nine.
With respect to Meyer, the homer in and of itself was impressive. To that point, his career high was three with Binghamton last season. He’s now one away from tying that mark with over four months remaining in the season.
So far this season, Meyer is hitting .283/.400/.435 with a double, two homers, and five RBI.
For Meyer, if he can show he can hit even a little, he’s going to make it to the majors one day. That’s because his work behind the plate is that good, and as we’ve historically seen, there is always room on a roster for a great defensive catcher who can handle a pitching staff.
On that note, this newfound power makes Meyer a player to watch this season. So far, he’s been a surprise, and it’s possible hr has more surprises in store.
