Spring training will be a learning experience for Nick Meyer

Born in Southern California, Nick Meyer would attend Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, and then after graduating, California Polytechnic State University. In his three years as a Mustang, he hit a combined, .297/.363/.373 while playing exemplary defense behind the plate. The Mets selected him with their 6th round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and the two sides agreed to a $350,000 signing bonus, almost $65,000 above the Major League Baseball-assigned slot value. He played the rest of the summer in Coney Island with the Cyclones and hit .226/.275/.270 in 43 games. Injuries limited him to just 68 total games in 2019, most of them spent with the St. Lucie Mets. In those games, he hit .182/.250/.225. While the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 minor league season, Meyer was able to get some professional games under his belt, playing for the Tully Monsters in the City of Champions Cup, a four-team pop-up league in Illinois. In the 27 games he played with them, Meyer hit .247/.357/.360.

At the plate, Meyer stands compact, using a small leg kick as a timing mechanism. His bat path is level and designed for making contact. His game is built around putting the ball in play, as his in-game power is below-average. Thanks to his above-average awareness of the strike zone and contact-oriented swing, he is difficult to strike out.

Defense is where he shines, which is ironic because of a genetic condition he was born with. Meyer was born with a condition called pre-axial polydactyly, meaning he was born with two thumbs on his left hand. He underwent surgery to remove the extra digit when he was two years old, but to this day, he cannot bend his remaining thumb all the way. He has a strong and accurate arm and is a solid receiver for pitchers to pitch to. He is a strong strategist and calls a good game.

With no experience above High-A St. Lucie, there is no real chance that Meyer has an impact on the 2021 Mets. A non-roster invitee to spring training, he will be working with coaches to improve his offense and further refine his defense. Come 2022, presumably with a season in the upper-minors under his belt and some of the free agent catchers under contract for 2021 free agents, Meyer may have a larger role on the team.