When you mention Joe Mauer, Dave Winfield and Paul Molitor, you're talking about state baseball royalty. Those three are the only native Minnesotans taken in the top 10 of the Major League Baseball draft since it started in 1965.
Max Meyer could join that list Wednesday night, when Gophers righthander goes from a college pitcher whose season ended abruptly because of the pandemic to a millionaire ballplayer.
"This is something I've dreamed about my entire life," Meyer said. "I've worked hard to put myself in this position."
The two-day draft has been significantly downsized from 40 rounds to five as MLB teams will be taking players whose seasons barely — or never — started in 2020.
The last Gophers player taken in the first round was Glen Perkins, 22nd overall by the Twins in 2004. Mauer was the No. 1 overall pick in 2001 out of Cretin-Derham Hall. Ex-Gophers Molitor (No. 3 in 1977 by Milwaukee) and Winfield (No. 4 in 1974 by San Diego) are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Gophers catcher Dan Wilson, a native of Barrington, Ill., was taken seventh overall in 1990 by Cincinnati.
Meyer, 21, is ranked No. 9 among prospects by mlb.com, and has talked or interviewed with approximately half of the 30 MLB teams through Zoom.
"I would like to go to a team who wants me for who I am," said Meyer, drafted out of Woodbury High School by the Twins in the 34th round in 2017. "I want to also go to a team that wants to win soon."
Meyer's fastball hits the high 90s, but his devastating slider vaulted him to a lofty draft position. The 6-foot, 195-pounder went 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA while striking out an average of 1.7 batters every inning for the Gophers this season before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the season March 12.