The Marlins select RHP Max Meyer 3rd overall in the 2020 MLB Draft

With the 3rd pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Marlins have selected right-handed pitcher Max Meyer out of Minnesota.

If the expectation is that a college right-hander taken early in the first round is going to be a front-of-the-rotation starter for years to come, then Meyer is a fairly major gamble for several reasons, as his combination of elite fastball velocity, underwhelming size, and relative lack of college starting experience could easily cause one to project him as a reliever in the big leagues. But Meyer may very well have the best stuff of any right-hander in this draft class, and he has a chance to carve out a Marcus Stroman or Carlos Martínez-like career as a major-league starter. Even if he doesn’t, though, he has the makeup to become one of the best bullpen arms in the game.

Meyer’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and reaches 100 MPH, but his best pitch is a slider that exceeds 90 MPH. The 6-foot, 185 pounder has been consistently dominant throughout his career at Minnesota, whether as a starter or in relief. In two-plus seasons, he had a 2.13 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP, 187 Ks, and 41 BBs over 148 frames. He started 15 games but was exclusively a reliever during his freshman season and came out of the bullpen five times as a sophomore, earning 18 career saves.