After focusing on position players at the top of the draft each of the past two years, the Miami Marlins went back to the mound with their first pick of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft.
Just not the pitcher most were probably expecting
While most pundits pegged Texas A&M lefty Asa Lacy to the Marlins, Miami went in a different direction, selecting Minnesota right-handed pitcher Max Meyer third overall on Wednesday.
Meyer, who both pitched and played in the outfield for the Golden Gophers over the past three seasons, had a career 2.07 ERA with 187 strikeouts against 41 walks over 148 career innings. In four starts over the shortened 2020 season, Meyer went 3-1, had a 1.95 ERA, held opponents to a .155 batting average and struck out 46 batters in 27 1/3 innings. He tied the school record as a freshman with 16 saves before being moved into the starting rotation.
Meyer is the first college pitcher the Marlins took in the first round since taking Andrew Heany ninth overall in 2012.
And he becomes the latest top-end pitching prospect to join Miami's system. Five of the Marlins' top-10 prospects according to MLBPipeline heading into the draft were pitchers: Righties Sixto Sanchez (No. 1), Edward Cabrera (No. 5) and Nick Neidert (No. 10) as well as lefties Braxton Garrett (No. 6) and Trevor Rogers (No. 8). All five were pegged as being MLB ready either this year or in 2021.
The Detroit Tigers selected Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson with the first overall pick. The Baltimore Orioles took Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad No. 2.
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