Prospect Meyer building on consistent starts at Potomac

Right-hander Alex Meyer was bumped to high Single-A Potomac on July 20 and has become even more consistent than he was at low Single-A Hagerstown. On Sunday, Meyer went six innings again, striking out seven hitters, allowing one earned run with no walks. He threw 87 pitches, 56 for strikes, in a loss, but that was because the offense was unable to score a run. A team source reports Meyer has "good fastball command and is getting ahead of every hitter. The changeup is improving. His curveball needs to be more consistent, but when it is on it is already a plus pitch." The fastball velocity is usually 93-94 mph and has touched 97 mph. By the end of the outing, he sits around 91 to 93 mph. He is 2-1 with a 0.93 ERA in five games for Potomac, has allowed three earned runs total, six walks and has struck out 26 batters. In 29 innings, he has surrendered only 17 hits. Opponents are batting just .175 against him. Meyer was good at Hagerstown, too, going 7-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 18 starts. But he has displayed more control in Woodbridge, Va., walking about one batter per game (six walks in five starts) versus two on average (34 walks in 18 starts) for the Suns. He also was allowing a .210 batting average against in Hagerstown. If he continues to display this type of consistency and stuff, I expect Meyer to get bumped to Double-A Harrisburg next year and find a way to get invited to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, which begins October 9.