Justin Meis making most of opportunities in Spring Training

Former 10th round pick has played in five major league Spring Training games this year.

Photo Credit: WTM

The Pirates have had some of their best prospects in camp with them as non-roster players, and they’ve really shown up and played well.

But another prospect who wasn’t ‘invited’ to camp has made five appearances and done very well with the opportunity given.

He’s the most recognizable because he’s a local kid, but it is easy for 10th-round pick Justin Meis to get a bit overlooked compared to some of the players taken his draft year by the Pirates.

Meis spent the 2022 season as a starter, posting a 4.11 ERA in 114 innings pitched between Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro, striking out 116.

Last year, 10 of his 29 appearances were starts, but he was mainly used as a multi-inning guy out of the bullpen. He still pitched 83 innings with Altoona and came on in the second half of the season.

From July through the rest of the season, Meis posted a 2.20 ERA, holding opponents to a .150 average and striking out 27.3% of the batters he faced.

He’s carried some of that into 2024 while making five appearances in Spring Training for the Pirates.

Meis has allowed just one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three in 4.1 innings of work.

It’s the stuff that has stood out for Meis, though, between his fastball and slider.

Returning to 2021, where he pitched out of the bullpen after signing, Meis's fastball was generally between 91 and 93 mph, topping out at 95 mph.

This Spring, he’s maxed out at 97.6 mph and hasn’t had a game where he has averaged less than 95.4 mph with his fastball.

On 27 fastballs (according to Baseball Savant), Meis has gotten five whiffs on 17 swings (29.4%) with a Called-Strike plus Whiff rate (CSW%) of 29.6% as well.

His slider has always been his best pitch, and he’s thrown 36 of them this Spring. He’s gotten 16 swings on them, and hitters have whiffed precisely 50% of the time (eight).

Meis has generally been used as a multi-inning reliever/swingman, but with so much starting pitching hitting the upper levels this year, this could be an opportunity to try him out in a new role.

Regardless, Meis has been given an opportunity to log some innings with the major league team, and he has run with it. Being ready when called upon is critical for being a reliever and a prospect not much talked about.