Former Gopher Max Meyer to make MLB debut with Marlins
FILE - Gophers star Max Meyer talks to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS ahead of his junior season. (KSTP-TV)
A former University of Minnesota baseball star is set to make his major league debut this weekend.
Thursday night, the Miami Marlins announced that former Gopher Max Meyer, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, was called up and is scheduled to start his first MLB game on Saturday.
Meyer, a Woodbury native, rapidly rose through the minors, spending less than two years across A, AA and AAA before his promotion.
He became Minnesota’s highest draft pick in program history (tied with Paul Molitor in 1977) when Miami selected him third overall in the 2020 draft. He also was the ninth Gopher to be drafted in the first round, the most of any Big Ten program, and the fourth to go in the top 10.
In his Gophers career, Meyer threw 148 innings, striking out 187 batters while tallying a 2.07 ERA — fourth-best all-time in program history. He also recorded 18 career saves, ranking third in program history. Additionally, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2019 and 2020.
The 23-year-old has gone 3-4 with a 3.72 ERA at AAA Jacksonville this season, with 65 strikeouts in 58 innings and a .188 opponent batting average. In his minor-league career, Meyer has a 9-8 record with a 2.77 ERA, 199 strikeouts and 61 walks in 172 innings, while holding hitters to a .207 batting average.
The Marlins posted a video to social media of Meyer receiving the good news.