Mets Midseason Top 10 Prospects, #9: Casey Meisner

Preseason ranking: 21

2015 stats (aggregate): 2.14 ERA; 3.68 FIP; 19.7% strikeout rate; 7.1% walk rate

Season to date

Casey Meisner started the season as a 19-year-old in the South Atlantic League and picked up where he left off in Brooklyn last year. In 76 innings he had a 2.13 ERA which was good for fourth best in the league among qualified starters. His peripheral numbers aren't going to blow your hair back but his 21.9% strikeout rate was eighth best in the league and his 6.3% walk rate wasn't an issue. Meisner was recently promoted to Advanced-A St. Lucie where he has continued to outperform his peripherals, posting a 2.16 ERA against a 3.90 FIP.

Why he ranks here

Meisner is another prospect who elbowed his way onto the list thanks in part to the graduation of so many of those ahead of him. His performance to date has been solid but it lacks the underlying electric stuff that Mets fans have become accustomed to from their high-end pitching prospects. Meisner has a three pitch arsenal of changeup, curveball, and a fastball that sits anywhere from 86-94 mph, a variance that can be chalked up to inconsistencies in mechanics. That shouldn't be surprising given his age and size because, when you think about, he hasn't been 6 feet 7 inches for all that long. The curve and change are two pitches that flash plus, giving him the potential for three plus pitches if he can develop any kind of consistency in his delivery. A solid second half in the Florida State League combined with a consistent delivery would make me feel more comfortable about placing Meisner on our preseason top 10 going into 2016.

Let's check in with the prospect team:

"Meisner has had success at every level he has pitched at so far, and he is not a soft-tosser by any means, but the total package just isn't going to wow you. He works in the low 90s with his fastball, and has two below-average offspeed offerings, the curve being the better present-day pitch and the one he is more comfortable throwing. Meisner is very athletic for his size, but he still fights against his length and limbs to get to a consistent release point. There is still room for development here, but also fair bit of development needed, and the upside is closer to backend starter than top of the rotation." - Jeff Paternostro