Max Meyer to undergo Tommy John surgery Aug. 9

Marlins No. 2 prospect Max Meyer will undergo Tommy John surgery on Aug. 9, the club announced on Monday. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure in Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old Meyer underwent an MRI on July 25, which revealed the tear in his UCL. He mulled over his decision after receiving various opinions and being evaluated by Dr. Wade Van Sice in Jupiter, Fla.

Meyer, who exited his second big league start on July 23 in Pittsburgh, grimaced and then signaled to Miami's dugout with his glove for a trainer after throwing his 10th pitch. He walked to the dugout after a conversation with the training staff, manager Don Mattingly and catcher Jacob Stallings. Meyer landed on the injured list the next day with a right elbow sprain.

“I felt it toward the start of that Hayes AB,” Meyer said that night. “I tried to get through it, but I knew I probably couldn’t get through the rest of the game.”

Until being sidelined for a month earlier this season with right ulnar nerve irritation in his pitching arm, Meyer had a limited injury history. He only dealt with a rolled ankle at the University of Minnesota through his college and pro careers.

The rehab time frame for Tommy John surgery typically ranges from 12-18 months. For some perspective, left-handed prospect Jake Eder underwent the procedure last August and began throwing off the mound for the first time on July 1. He expects to be full-go for Spring Training.

Losing Meyer, MLB Pipeline's No. 20 prospect, until 2024 is a tough blow. He made his highly anticipated MLB debut on July 16, and the expectation was for him to remain in the rotation after two stellar Minor League seasons (2.77 ERA).

"Talk about bad luck," general manager Kim Ng said on Saturday. "That was incredibly unfortunate, and [you] feel for Max. Certainly not where he wants to be in his second Major League start. It does happen. And unfortunately, he's just going to have to sit out."

If there's any silver lining, it's that starting pitching depth remains the organization's strength. Ace Sandy Alcantara leads the way, with Pablo López, Trevor Rogers and Braxton Garrett following in line. Jesús Luzardo returned from the 60-day injured list on Monday to face the Reds and Edward Cabrera has been making strides in his rehab assignment.

Daniel Castano was able to fill in when needed before sustaining a mild concussion while starting in Meyer’s place. Jordan Holloway (60-day IL) and Cody Poteet (60-day IL) can start and relieve. No. 5 prospect Sixto Sánchez is facing batters for the first time since March 2021, and Eury Pérez (MLB Pipeline's No. 14 overall) has a trajectory of a 2023 debut.