2015 Prospect List - #27 – RHSP Casey Meisner

My rankings is solely subjective and based on nothing more than what is in my head at time I’m writing this. I’ve followed the Mets minor league players for many years and I feel I can recognize talent at various levels of their development. What I have failed at is how to determine when this talent seems to diminish. It’s amazing how many first round picks never make it in this game. 

I’m old school, so you won’t seem much SABR-discussion here, I do research and, when I find a good quote or two, I’ll add them to my analysis, but, like I said in the beginning of this post, most of this us subjective.

Let’s get started.

# 27 – RHSP Casey Meisner – 20-years old

            6-7, 190 – R/R – 3^rd round 2013 draft – no college – Cypress Woods HS (TX)

            2013 – GCL Mets – 10-G, 4-starts, 3.09, 1.17, 35.1-IP, 28-K, 10-BB

            2014 – Brooklyn – 13-starts, 3.77, 1.37, 62.1-IP, 67-K, 18-BB, 9.73-SO9

This was another of the Sandy & Company high school arms that very few on the surface of the game know anything about, but those that are paid to analyze these prospects know very well.

Keith Law loved him at draft time, writing:

“Meisner is a super-projectable right-hander with a great 6-foot-7 frame and lots of room to fill out, but who already flashes plus velocity with a delivery that has more effort than you'd like to see. Meisner's four-seamer sat 92-94 early in the year, although it was very true; he has good shape on the 75-76 mph curveball however its rotation isn't that tight yet, and he doesn't have great feel for his low-80s change. Meisner comes from a high 3/4 slot with a moderate stride -- he could step more toward the plate given how long his legs are -- and has a head-whack at release, to the point where he's facing the ground briefly as the ball approaches the plate. This is an immediate 'kill' for some teams (meaning they won't take a player with this kind of head violence).”

Baseball America had him ranked as the #246 player in the draft which is quite low when you are picking someone in the 3^rd round.

            And Jonathan Mayo wrote –

Meisner is a rare Texas pitcher who remains projectable. Listed at 6-foot-7, 185 pounds, Meisner has touched 94 mph with his fastball, but more typically throws it around 90 mph. As he physically matures and learns to be more consistent in his delivery, scouts expect his fastball to eventually sit around 94 mph instead of just touching it. He also throws a curveball and changeup, both of which have a chance to be Major League-average offerings. Meisner has clean arm action, but struggles to repeat his delivery, which affects his command and velocity. He is committed to Texas Tech.

He eventually signed for $500,000 which was $140,900 under slot.

So far, Meisner has done nothing wrong though he does seem to be a little held back by the Mets. I can understand holding back the first year after he played an entire year of high school baseball, but only 13 starts in Brooklyn?

Projection – I’ve got him moving on to Savannah to pitch every seventh game in their piggyback starter system they have going there. We should get a much better look at him there and be able to project him more accurately in the future.

(One problem I have with all these 'bust or boom' high school pitchers.... did the Mets ever consider that the Georgia Tech junior OF Daniel Palka was available with this pick and he went four picks later to Arizona, where he just hit 22-HR and 82-RBIs in full-A ball?

Or pick LSU outfieder Jacoby Jones who was picked three picks later and he hit 23-HR, 70-RBI for the Pirates full-A affiliate.

It's not like we've looking for some power outfield bats recently...)