Ely Sussman’s Top 30 Marlins prospects: Tier 2

Prospects within the same tier are largely interchangeable—considering their ceiling, floor, injury risk, position, room for development, ability to adjust and intangibles, I expect them to have similar career value.

The ranking of these players and the notes below were last updated on August 14, 2022.

2) RHP Max Meyer

Max Meyer had extraordinary results in 2021 despite slightly lower fastball velocity than what was advertised coming out of college. In his second professional campaign, there was an encouraging uptick, sitting in the mid-90s deep into his starts. Just imagine how much his stuff could play up even more out of the bullpen.

To shut up the skeptics who see middle reliever as a possible major league outcome for him, Meyer has developed a competent changeup. There are games where it legitimately earns him extra outs and others where it at least distracts opposing batters with its ample arm-side movement.

Beginning in early May 2022, I believed that Meyer was prepared to contribute to the Marlins starting rotation. His special slider will be effective against most lefties regardless of whether he has a feel for the changeup. The Marlins finally gave him a shot to start for them on July 16, then in his second major league outing, his UCL snapped. Recovery from Tommy John surgery puts his entire 2023 season in jeopardy.

Meyer plays with a combination of awareness, athleticism and competitiveness that should allow him to overachieve relative his conventional pitching skills. All things considered, I have more trust him in than I do Miami’s next-best prospects, justifying a one-man tier. However, his injury does make a slight dent in his prospect stock as he will continue to accrue MLB service time while on the IL.

Max Meyer’s Fastball

Max Meyer’s Slider

Max Meyer’s Changeup