Marlins’ Max Meyer is nothing short of confident. His goal: ‘I just want to dominate’
Want a glimpse into how Max Meyer took his preparation to the next level in his first season of professional baseball? Look no further than the nightstand next to his bed.
Meyer, a right-handed pitcher and the third overall pick by the Miami Marlins in the 2020 MLB Draft, had become wary over the years that he has to become reacclimated with the feel of his slider — his signature pitch — at the start of every season.
This time around, he kept a ball on his nightstand.
“I’d grip it every single night,” Meyer said, “making sure I didn’t lose that grip so I was able to keep it. I’m happy where it’s at. It’s right where it needs to be.”
Meyer’s game as a whole is where he feels it needs to be, too.
He’s coming off a strong 2021 season, one in which he went 6-4 with a 2.27 ERA, 130 strikeouts and 42 walks and a .221 batting average against in 22 starts (20 with Double A Pensacola, two with Triple A Jacksonville) in his first true taste of professional baseball.
The competitive juices are already flowing again. He threw about 20 pitches in a live batting practice session on the back fields of the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex in Jupiter. The minor-league season is set to start on April 5 regardless of the status of the MLB season, which remains in limbo as MLB and the MLB Players’ Association continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.
Meyer feels himself inching closer to that lauded Major League Baseball debut.
And one thing is certain: Once Meyer gets there, he plans to do everything in his power to stay there.
“I don’t want to go back and forth,” Meyer said.
The go-getter, high-intensity mentality is one that Meyer has crafted since his early days in athletics. He played baseball, hockey and football growing up and was always competing with his older brother, Ben.
The competition is internal now. With every milestone, every accomplishment, he raises the bar another level.
“Every single time I’m out there, I’m a little too competitive,” Meyer said. “If it’s a bad day, I’ll be pretty [ticked] off. If it’s a good day, I’ll want more out of myself. It’s tough. It’s hard to be like that, but, every single time I go out, I just want to dominate. That’s what I’m gonna be like for the rest of my career.”
His first season of professional baseball was a good start. Meyer showed the ability to pitch a full season. The Marlins eased him in, capping his innings that first year to make sure he didn’t overexert himself. He never pitched more than six innings in a given outing.
But Meyer knows there’s enough in the tank to push himself deeper into games and plans to show that in 2022.
“I’m ready to get 200, 250 [innings] in,” Meyer said with a smile.
He also knows the need to improve upon his changeup to add a quality third pitch to his arsenal to go with his mid-90s fastball and swing-and-miss-inducing slider.
“I’ve still got a job every single day to just go and try to be the best player I can be,” Meyer said. “Every day is a new day, so I’m ready for the next opportunity.”
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