Meyer to begin Triple-A season as starter

2016 MLB.com Top Prospects: Alex Meyer misses bats and gets ground-ball outs thanks to the heavy sink on his heaterFORT MYERS, Fla. -- Right-hander Alex Meyer will open the season as a starter for Triple-A Rochester instead of pitching in relief like he did most of last season, Twins general manager Terry Ryan said Monday.

Meyer, who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester in the latest round of cuts Friday, will be stretched out to start, but Ryan said it doesn't mean he'll stay in that role all season. It's mostly so Meyer, at 6-foot-9, can get more repetitions to work on his mechanics and his changeup. Given Minnesota's rotation depth, Meyer remains more likely to get called up the Majors this…