Gophers right-handed pitcher Max Meyer made history on Wednesday night after being selected by the Miami Marlins with the third overall pick in the MLB Draft. The selection ties him with Paul Molitor as the highest draft pick in program history.
Meyer starred at Woodbury High School and was selected by the Twins in the 34th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, but opted to head to the Gophers instead. Once there, Meyer began as a reliever and even played on the U.S. national team before being thrown into the rotation during his sophomore year.
It wouldn’t take long before Meyer was the Gophers’ ace, compiling an 8-4 record with a 2.07 ERA in 104.1 innings over the past two seasons, and cementing his draft status with a slider that sits at 870-91 mph and a fastball that can reach up to 97 mph, according to MLB.com.
Along with Molitor, who was selected third overall by Milwaukee in 1977, Meyer joins Dave Winfield (4th overall in 1973) and Joe Mauer (1st overall pick in 2000) as Minnesotans who have been selected in the draft’s top four selections.
Meyer also becomes the first Gopher drafted in the first round since the Twins selected Glen Perkins 22nd overall in 2004.
In Miami, Meyer will join a youth movement that has generated little success on the field, but tons of talented prospects on it. By joining Sixto Sanchez (MLB Pipeline’s No. 22 overall prospect) and Edward Cabrera (No. 85), Meyer figures to be another quality arm in the Marlins’ rebuild.
