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| Nick Meyer - Photo by Ernest Dove |
Nick Meyer, C, Bats Right, Throws Right, DOB 2/18/1997, 6th round, 2018 Draft. 6'1", 200 pounds.
Nick was one of the top defensive catchers available in the 2018 draft. The Mets signed him for $350,000 after drafting him in the 6th round.
Here is what Baseball America said about Nick in 2018: "He excels at stealing strikes at the bottom of the zone in particular, and guides his pitchers expertly through jams. His arm strength is consistently above-average and flashes plus, and he excels at back-picking runners off first base."
In 2021, Nick impressed me with his defense and his hitting in Syracuse, slashing .286/.362/.357 - .719 OPS in 11 games. Overall between Binghamton and Syracuse he hit .251/.337/.324 - .662.
He called the Josh Walker/Andrew Mitchell no-hitter for Binghamton and it just seemed to me that pitchers always seem to respond well when he caught.
He is tough. At one Binghamton game I was out in 2021, he was hit in the head by a back swing and stayed in the game.
He also stands up for his pitchers as the clip below shows.
His improved hitting in 2021 resulted in Baseball America naming him as the Mets #30 prospect in their mid-year update (subscription required).
Mets.com has Nick listed as the #24 Mets Prospect.
Prospects 1500 has Nick as the #25 Prospect.
Amazing Avenue: "At the plate, Meyer stands compact, using a small leg kick as a timing mechanism. His bat path is level and designed for making contact. His game is built around putting the ball in play, as his in-game power is below-average. Thanks to his above-average awareness of the strike zone and contact-oriented swing, he is difficult to strike out."
213 Miles From Shea: "Nick Meyer is one of the few players we actually have stats for in 2020! I’m not sure what terminology is correct (either he did this on his own or he got permission from the Mets) but Nick played in an independent league last year – the City of Champions Cup for the Tully Monsters. He got 112 PA’s in over 27 games and hit .247/.357/.360 in a league where he was half a year younger than the average player."
Nick was invited to Spring Training last season as a Non-Roster player.
He is eligible for the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft which has been delayed due to the lockout. With only 173 minor league at-bats, it is not likely he will get picked but good defensive catchers don't grow on trees - so there is always a possibility.
If he stays, I look for Nick to be the full time catcher at either Binghamton or Syracuse next year with Hayden Senger being the full time catcher in the other location. However, once Francisco Alvarez gets promoted - one of those two will become the backup catcher.
Baseball Savant's Spray Chart:
Hitting Splits:
Fielding:
For
all of Jacob’s pregame interviews go here.
From that same game, Nick Meyer shows he can hit as well. pic.twitter.com/4iDB0ypicF
— John From Albany (@JohnFromAlbany) December 16, 2021
Mets Double-A catcher Nick Meyer (who has a sick mustache) hits a two-run bomb over the scoreboard to give @RumblePoniesBB a 3-0 lead.
— Cam Adams (@byCamAdams) July 10, 2021
That was Meyer’s first homer of the year. @Mets_Minors pic.twitter.com/gKCIUaEx5D
One of Nick Meyer's three home runs last year. He is one of the best defensive catchers in the Mets Minor League system. @JohnMackinAde @BTB_MikeII @ernestdove pic.twitter.com/r9M9i3TKk8
— John From Albany (@JohnFromAlbany) December 16, 2021
Nick Meyer - add some power, could really be a # 2 guy. Nice arm.
ReplyDeleteHe could be a solid prototype backup catcher with all minor league pitchers enjoying having him behind the plate. To me he is/was more of a dink and dunk spray hitter, not necessarily power or gap to gap. I choose to believe he can hold his own at major league level as "one of those" backup catcher role guys.
ReplyDeleteHe really made a difference behind the plate in games he caught. Hope he gets the chance to play regularly next year.
ReplyDeleteGrote should be his model, I think. Never had much power, but he adjusted his hitting style after hitting .205 from 1963-66 and struck out a lot.
ReplyDeleteHis last 13 years, he hit .265 and cut his K rate drastically.
A few years ago, the Mets had a catcher named Ali Sanchez. Now Sanchez was outstanding in all facets of the defensive game and got rave reviews! Too, he was known to have outstanding batting practice power but it just hadn’t materialized yet in games. The Mets tried to give him a chance, but with the first at bat it was obvious that this catcher - whom I pulled hard for - had no shot at hitting MLB pitching. Eventually, Sanchez was signed by St. Louis after the Mets designated him. Now, Sanchez is only 24 and the Cardinals are being very patient with him but Sanchez has never had a slugging percentage that started with at least a .4… on any level. Ever! And this guy was a better hitter than Meyer. Going back to Juan Centeno and others that were “defensive catchers”, other teams tried their luck too, but if a guy can’t hit, it’s hard to expect anyone to draft him in Rule 5 or any team to give him a roster spot. Furthermore, we all know Mazeika is “an offensive catcher” and yet we see him and know that label is quite kind, because there isn’t a pitcher out there afraid of him. Think of where Meyer fits in…
ReplyDeleteNow, I would give Meyer all sorts of rope. I’d buy him Rod Carew’s hitting videos, George Brett’s, Wade Boggs’… any one that he can have a little success copying. Like Tom said, make contact, move up the base runners, and don’t be an automatic out… that’s all we want! Meyer has work to do.
Great points Gus.
ReplyDeleteI think Tom hit the nail on the head when he noted how Nick only has 173 games in 4 years since being drafted. - 3 seasons after missing 2020 with COVID.
Kevin Kernan in his latest post noted how baseball's supply chain is broken. How the fewer number of lower level teams have left players with fewer and fewer playing time. Nick Meyer should have played over 100 games last year. Instead he played 62. Baseball is severely broken and the players in the lower levels are not getting the instruction and playing time they need.