Mets: An inside look at the four catchers invited to Spring Training

Nick Meyer is a catcher that most Mets fans do not know about, but his story is an unique one.

The next pitcher that the Mets invited to Spring Training is someone who very few people have heard of. Nick Meyer is another catching prospect in the Mets system that will get an opportunity this Spring Training. Meyer is a sixth-round pick that was selected by the team in 2018. At the time of the draft, Meyer was heralded as an excellent defensive catcher, evidenced by him being named the 2018 Big West Defensive Player of the Year for posting a career-best .988 fielding percentage and contributing towards 11 double plays.

On the offensive side of his game, Meyer does not project as a power hitter. However, Meyer has been noted for his incredible plate discipline, especially with him being at the stage of his career. In 600 career at-bats so far, he has only struck out 53 times, which is well below the MLB average.

Meyer’s background is an inspiring one, considering what he had to deal with when he was younger. He was born with a condition known as pre-axial polydactyly, a rare medical condition that resulted in him being born with two thumbs on his left hand. Although the extra thumb was removed when he was a baby, he is still currently living with the side effects today. As an example, Meyer cannot bend his left thumb all the way like most people can.

Although not the heralded prospect that Alvarez is, Meyer is still well-regarded as someone who could potentially form a tandem with Alvarez as a defensive complement. He excels at pitch framing and knows how to guide pitchers through jams by stealing strikes. He also has a strong arm, which has resulted in him being adroit at picking off baserunners. This Spring Training season provides Meyer a chance to show off his defensive instincts while giving him a chance to show team officials his improvement on the offensive end.