Miami Marlins 2020 first-round pick Max Meyer set to make MLB debut against Phillies

Max Meyer’s mission ever since the start of spring training was singular: Make it to the big leagues.

Well, that’s about to become reality.

The Miami Marlins’ 2020 first-round pick was told Thursday that he is going to be promoted from the Triple A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and join the big-league club on Friday. He is expected to start Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies in Miami’s final series ahead of the All-Star Break.

The Marlins posted video of Jumbo Shrimp manager Daren Brown giving Meyer the news.

“You’ve done a lot here obviously, but I’m happy for you,” Brown told Meyer. “It’s a big opportunity. You put the work in.”

Meyer, the No. 21 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline, has a career 2.77 ERA in 35 starts in the minor leagues over the past two seasons with 199 strikeouts over 172 innings. He was sidelined for about a month this season while dealing with right ulnar nerve irritation, but has posted a 1.96 ERA (four earned runs allowed in 18 1/3 innings) with 21 strikeouts against five walks in his four starts since returned to Jacksonville following the injury.

“I know you had the Jupiter part you had to go through to get ready and come back and get going again,” Brown said. “It ought to be really exciting for you.”

And exciting for the Marlins, too. Meyer’s debut comes with the Marlins staying afloat in the playoff race and in a series against one of the teams ahead of them in the fight for a National League Wild Card spot.

Miami, at 43-45, is three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals (48-44) for the final playoff spot. The San Francisco Giants (45-42) and Phillies (46-43) are both between Miami and St. Louis in the standings.

He will bolster a starting rotation led by ace and Cy Young contender Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez. Lefties Trevor Rogers, Braxton Garrett and Daniel Castano have rounded out the rotation with Jesus Luzardo and Edward Cabrera on the injured list. Sixto Sanchez is also rehabbing.

Meyer’s fastball sit between 92 and 95 mph and his slider was arguably the single-best pitch out of all pitchers in the 2020 draft. He has been developing his changeup to give him a third pitch, which is needed to be a starter at the MLB level.

“He’s done what we expected him to do, in some regards exceeded it,” Marlins senior director of amatuer scouting DJ Svihlik said Wednesday. “He still has some development ahead of him. I can pick out some things that I’d love to see him do as we go forward, but these players out here are always developing, even in the big leagues. His next step is to pitch in the big leagues, find out what it’s like with good hitters on the other team and make some adjustments.”

He’ll get his first chance to do that this weekend.