Chase Meidroth arrived at Rate Field around 11 a.m. Friday, just trying to take it all in.
“I don’t think it’s still sunk in yet,” the infielder said less than four hours before the series opener against the Boston Red Sox.
The Chicago White Sox called up Meidroth from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday morning. He was in the lineup, hitting seventh and playing second base in his major-league debut.
Meidroth walked in his first plate appearance and scored from first on Jacob Amaya’s two-run double in the second inning.
“We want him just to be as comfortable as possible, go out there and be himself,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said. “But really proud of him and how he’s handled his business in Charlotte.
“I’ve enjoyed getting to know him since he became a White Sox and I look forward to seeing his major-league career play out.”
In Friday’s corresponding move, the Sox optioned outfielder Greg Jones to Charlotte. To make room for Meidroth on the 40-man roster, the Sox designated pitcher Justin Anderson for assignment.
The White Sox acquired Meidroth, 23, as part of the December trade that sent starter Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox. His first big-league game came against the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.
“It’s awesome,” Meidroth said. “It’s kind of a full-circle moment. I had a lot of guys over there texting me (last night) like ‘I’m happy I’ll get to see you tomorrow.’
“I’m excited to compete and go beat them.”
Meidroth has a career .285/.425/.414 slash line with 23 home runs, 133 RBIs, 195 runs and 207 walks in 264 games during parts of four minor-league seasons. He led all minor-leaguers with 105 walks in 2024 for Triple-A Worcester and ranked third with a .437 on-base percentage.
He had been in the running for an opening-day roster spot with the White Sox for most of spring training before the club ultimately reassigned him to minor-league camp.
“He put together some really quality at-bats (during spring training),” Getz said. “He wasn’t getting hits, but his plate discipline was very good. Towards the end of camp, I could tell that he was pressing a little bit. And I didn’t want to bring him up to Chicago coming off of a spring training without getting the results that he wanted — that, all of a sudden (he’s thinking) ‘I didn’t get results in spring training, now I need to show them right now.’
“It was just an unnecessary thing to do for a young player that we believe in. He’s got a tremendous process. When we sat down with him at the end of camp, (manager) Will (Venable) had a great conversation with him. There were some things he needed to work on and he goes down there and he does it. Just speaks to his ability and understanding of an offensive approach that’s going to serve him well.”
Meidroth slashed .267/.450/.500 with one double, three home runs, four RBIs, 11 runs and eight walks in nine games with the Knights.
“I’m trying to just get better wherever I’m at every day,” Meidroth said of his mindset while starting the season with the Knights. “Take it step by step. It wasn’t a big thing. I’m going to go down there and continue to grow and get better as a player and this is where I’m playing baseball today and that’s all that was my focus for the last two weeks.
“They gave me a few things to work on. I kind of was just watching film and went over some swings from last year and tried to improve my game a little bit and get to the pull side a little bit more. I think I had some success with it. But yeah, I’m here and just trying to get better every day.”
After receiving word of the call-up, he first reached out to his parents.
“They have been everything since the start,” Meidroth said. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without them. I love them very much and they always put their best foot forward for me to get where I’m at today.”
Meidroth, rated the No. 8 prospect in the Sox system by MLB.com, will mostly see time at second base and shortstop.
“He’s part of our future,” Getz said. “He was a big piece of the Garrett Crochet trade. To be able to bring someone like Chase Meidroth up here and get major-league experience is going to serve him well, which will ultimately serve the organization well.”
Injury updates
Mike Tauchman has a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, Getz said. The outfielder went on the 10-day injured list Thursday.
He suffered the injury while trying to score the tying run in the ninth inning Wednesday in Cleveland. He started hobbling between third and home and was tagged out to end the game.
“He’s going to be out for a couple weeks,” Getz said. “Obviously that’s tough for (Tauchman) and tough for us. And he was putting together some really solid at-bats on a regular basis. We need to get him well and get him back as quickly as we can.”
Catcher Korey Lee went on the 10-day IL on Thursday with a left ankle sprain. He suffered the injury while trying to avoid being picked off of first base by catcher Austin Hedges in the sixth inning Wednesday.
“He rolled his ankle pretty well,” Getz said. “It’s going to take a little bit of time. These next couple of days as he gets treatment, we’ll get a better idea of what the timetable looks like.”
The Sox placed reliever Fraser Ellard on the 15-day injured list with a strained right hamstring. The IL stint is retroactive to Thursday. In the corresponding move, the Sox recalled left-hander Brandon Eisert from Charlotte.
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