Alex Meyer: Sometimes the Twins do something right

If you're an avid reader of my blog, you'll remember me highlighting all of the awful trades and free agent moves (or lack thereof) that the Twins have made in recent history. Trading Denard Span for Alex Meyer was not one of them.

Who is Alex Meyer? The top pitching prospect in the Twins' organization, Meyer is only 23 years old, stands 6 feet 9 inches tall, and is covered in talent. He throws a heavy fastball ranging anywhere from 95 to 98 mph and a sharp breaking ball registering in the mid 80s. He, like any young pitching prospect, struggles with control at times, but has a career Minor-League K/9 innings of over 10. He's thrown just over 207 innings of Minor-League ball to the tune of a 2.91 ERA and a 1.162 WHIP, and continues to gain confidence as he gains recognition from the rest of the league.

Meyer participated in this year's Arizona Fall League and has been simply dominant. In his latest outing, pitching against some of the top young prospects in the game, Meyer took a no-hitter into the 6th, striking out 7 batters in 5 and 2/3 innings! The following link will take you to some highlights of that very performance. The video gives you a real up-close and personal look at just how powerful Meyer's stuff is.. http://wapc.mlb.com/play?content_id=31211711&topic_id=7617858.

Over this 3 year stretch of terrible Twins teams, the pitching staff has been reluctantly loaded with inning-eating, pitch to contact, 4th or 5th level starters. I'm hoping Meyer is that strikeout heavy, power-throwing prodigal son, here to set things straight. Don't choose to be average! If you can burn the ball a hitter do it, don't hope that he hits it to a glove somewhere.

Meyer has seen only very minor injury set backs in his young career, and is predicted by several analysts to make his Major League debut sometime in 2014. If that debut comes sooner than later, expect Meyer to hold his own and then some. This is the biggest and most exciting pitching prospect the Twins have had in their system in quite some time. Remember, potential is a scary word, but I fully expect Alex Meyer to solidify his spot in the middle of Minnesota's pitching rotation over the next 2 to 3 seasons.