Stephan Meyer

STEPHAN MEYER, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: May 11, 1994
Height: 6′ 4″
Weight: 190
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 18th Round, 547th Overall, 2015
How Acquired: Draft
College: Bellevue University
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PLAYER PROFILE

Meyer is a typical Pirates’ draft pick, a 6’4″ RHP with a projectable frame.  He relies on a sinker, which he keeps down in the zone when he’s going well.  He also throws a curve and change.  Meyer had a good year with Bellevue in 2015, posting a 1.47 ERA in 92 innings, along with a 101:30 K:BB ratio.  This came after he didn’t pitch much as a sophomore in 2014, throwing just 17 innings, with a 4.76 ERA and a 14:9 K:BB ratio.  He threw 54.2 innings in his senior year in high school, but red shirted in 2013, his first year in college.  Meyer didn’t rate in Baseball America’s rankings of a poor class in Nebraska.  He signed nine days after being drafted.

2015
R:  2-0-0, 0.71 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 12.2 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 8.5 K/9
A-:  0-0-1, 0.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 10.2 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 8.4 K/9

Meyer was initially slated to go to Morgantown, but back problems delayed his debut.  He pitched one game there at the beginning of July, then missed a month and the Pirates sent him to the GCL.  After seven games there, the Pirates sent him back to Morgantown late in the season and he got into three games.  All his pitching, except the first game with Morgantown, was in relief and he got excellent results.  Opponents batted just 179/233/226 against him, with only two extra base hits in 84 at-bats.  Left-handed batters hit him fairly well, with a .749 OPS, but right-handed hitters managed only a microscopic .291.  Of course, these are very small sample sizes.

2016
A-:  2-6-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 82.0 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 5.5 K/9

Meyer spent the season in the Morgantown rotation, leading the team with 16 starts.  He was fairly hittable without getting hammered; opponents had a 265/320/407 line against him, higher than the league averages of 243/318/337.  His K rate was very low.  He finished strongly, with a 2.83 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over his last seven starts.  He had no platoon split.

2017
A-:  1-1-0, 3.72 ERA,1.32  WHIP, 38.2 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 7.7 K/9
A:  3-1-0, 2.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 38.0 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 6.2 K/9

The Pirates kept Meyer in extended spring training at the start of the 2017 season, then sent him to Morgantown.  He stayed in the rotation there until the end of July and then went to West Virginia, as the Power had a couple of pitchers go on the disabled list.  Meyer actually got better results at the higher level, although with weaker walk and K rates.

Meyer could make the Bradenton rotation in 2018.  He’ll turn 24 early in the season.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2018: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2015
MLB Debut:
MiLB FA Eligible: 2021
MLB FA Eligible:
Rule 5 Eligible: 2018
Added to 40-Man:
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
June 10, 2015: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 18th round, 547th overall pick; signed on June 19.