*SIGNED in Japan 2024* RHP with 90-94 MPH Sinker and experience in the Netherlands, Japan, and Indy ball
Name: Benjamin Meyer
Height: 190.5cm
Weight: 100kg
DOB: June 6, 1997
Date Available: January 1, 2024
Will Pay FlightBats: R
Throws: R
Positions: SP
Positions (alt): RP
College: Claremont McKenna College
Personal
I played D3 College baseball for Claremont McKenna College in Los Angeles California. After college, I spent a year playing in the United States with the Los Angeles Legends (LABL) and the Los Angeles Raptors (PCBL). In 2021, I began my overseas career as a pitcher for UVV Utrecht in the Honkbal Overgangsklasse in the Netherlands.
In college my fastball was 83-85 MPH, but after graduating, I increased my velocity to 88-91, working with a fastball / changeup mix. Between the PCBL and LABL (including playoffs), I went 7-1 while posting a 1.08 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 12.6 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 over 45 innings with 70 strikeouts. I was named Championship CO-MVP of the PCBL and Championship MVP of the LABL. In 2021, I pitched for UVV Utrecht posting a 2.79 ERA over 38.2 innings as both a starting and relief pitcher.
In 2022, I was promoted to the Dutch Hoofdklasse, playing with the Hoofddorp Pioniers. I had a bit of a learning curve adapting to more advanced hitting, leading the league in homeruns allowed in my first year of service while pitching to a 6.70 ERA. I spent that next offseason with an 8 month training period at Driveline where I replaced my fastball with a sinker and increased my velocity to 94 MPH. This allowed to pitch to more weak contact in the zone, lower my pitch counts, and walk less batters.
In 2023, I hit my stride in the league with the Amsterdam Pirates, allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits over my last 19.2 innings of work and helping to bring home the Holland Series Championship. I also spent part of the 2023 season playing in tournaments such as the Europe Cup, Prague Baseball Week, Sint Maarten Invitational, and Aguascalientes Mexico Torneo de Beisbol, picking up a lot of experience in high pressure games. I finished 2023 summer in Indy Ball in America with the Salem-Keiser Volcanoes, again facing an initial learning curve against higher level hitting before making adjustments. In my final game with the Volcanoes, I pitched to 1 run over 6 IP to get the win in a playoff elimination game. I then played in the Japan Winter League to finish the year, and after making some adjustments to the higher competition level, signed a contract with the Ishikari Red Phoenix for the summer 2024 season. Between all my leagues and teams in 2023, I finished the year with an 11-4 record over 112.2 innings pitched and a 3.95 ERA.
2020-2023 I worked a full time remote engineering job while playing. However, I am now quitting that job and fully committed to focusing on my baseball career. I will update here about the 2024 summer season in Japan and will be looking for a place to play winter 2024. My summer contract ends on October 15, 2024 and I will be available after that.
As for pitching development, I am currently working on increasing my velocity as well as master a Curveball/Slider to pair with my Sinker and Changeup so that I can increase my strikeout rates.
Heres a pitching video from Driveline and Prague Baseball Week 2023:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13v0s3bFEf0
Overseas Baseball Goals:
I’m looking for a team where I can have a large impact on the mound. My goal is become the best player I can be, compete at the highest levels I can, and win championships along the way. I aim one day to compete in the top overseas leagues such as in Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Australia.
Playing Experience
Coaching Experience
YEAR | ROLE | ORGANIZATION | LEAGUE/DIVISION | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Freshmen Team Coach | Oak Park High School | Coastal Canyon League | Ran freshmen team practices and coached the team during games |
Stats
Pro/Overseas Batting
Years | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | AVG | OBP | SLG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | UVV Utrecht | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .428 | .333 |
Pro/Overseas Pitching
Year | Team | ERA | GS | CG | IP | H | SO | BB | HBP | R | ER | Wins | Losses | SV | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | UVV Utrecht | 2.79 | 2 | 0 | 38.2 | 20 | 36 | 29 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.32 |
2022 | Hoofddorp Pioniers | 6.70 | 8 | 0 | 41.2 | 55 | 30 | 24 | 4 | 36 | 31 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1.92 |
2023 | Amsterdam Pirates | 3.60 | 0 | 0 | 20.0 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.10 |
2023 | Salem-Keiser Volcanoes | 5.14 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 28 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.57 |
2023 | Suns | 5.40 | 5 | 0 | 26.2 | 26 | 27 | 19 | 1 | 26 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 1.73 |
College/Amateur Pitching
Year | Team | ERA | GS | CG | IP | H | SO | BB | HBP | R | ER | Wins | Losses | SV | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016-2019 | CMS | 7.88 | 0 | 0 | 16.0 | 23 | 14 | 9 | - | 18 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.00 |
2019 | Los Angeles Raptors | 1.35 | 2 | 0 | 20.0 | 17 | 26 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.40 |
2019 | Los Angeles Legends | 1.20 | 2 | 1 | 15.0 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.80 |
2021 | Los Angeles Legends | 0.60 | 3 | 0 | 15.0 | 5 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.73 |