Meidroth becomes eighth former HarbourCat to play in big leagues

Eight former Victoria HarbourCats players have played in the big leagues. Photo: Victoria HarbourCats

April 11, 2025

Official Victoria HarbourCats News Release

VICTORIA, B.C. - In 10 seasons of play, it's now eight Major League Baseball players produced -- not too shabby.

The Victoria HarbourCats are proud to announce that the Chicago White Sox have recalled infielder Chase Meidroth. He made his MLB debut on Friday, starting at second base against the team that drafted him, the Boston Red Sox.

Meidroth was placed with the HarbourCats in 2019 by head coach Rich Hill, then at the University of San Diego (now at Hawaii), and starred for the Cats at Wilson's Group Stadium at RAP under HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, himself a former MLB player.

Meidroth joins Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.), Philadelphia/Boston/San Diego), Andrew Vaughn (Chicago White Sox), Alex DeGoti (Houston), Nathan Lukes (Toronto), Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C., Cleveland), Davis Wendzel (Texas) and Jack Neely (Chicago Cubs) as MLB players who have come through the Victoria program.

That Pivetta was the first HarbourCat in the majors was pure poetry -- he threw the first pitch in HarbourCats’ history in 2013, and is a Victoria product and former PBL Victoria Eagles pitcher.

With Vaughn and Meidroth together, this will be the first time two HarbourCats have been on the same team at the MLB level -- and they may even bat next to each other in the lineup over the coming days.

With the HarbourCats, Meidroth was a star defensively at shortstop, and was near impossible to keep off the bases -- he hit a whopping .424 with a .494 on-base percentage, four doubles, a triple, two home runs, 13 RBIs and eight stolen bases. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB draft after his junior season at USD.

Meidroth is just 23, with a whole career ahead of him. He's considered an excellent contact hitter with MLB power potential, and had a big year at triple-A in the Boston system last year before being a key part of a major trade between the two Sox teams. He has hit 38 home runs across all levels, batting .304 with 54 stolen bases.

"Chase was tremendous for us -- so strong at short, and an impact bat in helping that 2019 team reach the WCL final," said Jim Swanson of the HarbourCats. "We are so proud of him -- and all our players who go pro, and of course the eight now who have made it to the MLB level."

Vaughn is a top bat with the White Sox after being the third-overall MLB draft pick in 2019, fast-tracked to the MLB level. Smith, Wendzel (now at AAA in the Reds organization) and Neely made their MLB debuts in 2024, and Lukes, the 2014 HarbourCats player of the year, is fast becoming a regular in the outfield with the Blue Jays. DeGoti saw time with the Astros during the Covid season and is now at triple-A in the Rangers organization.

The HarbourCats open their 2025 home schedule on Friday, June 6, with the Port Angeles Lefties visiting Wilson's Group Stadium at RAP.