WORCESTER — During a game earlier this month in Buffalo, WooSox manager Chad Tracy felt like his leadoff hitter, Chase Meidroth, was taking especially good at-bats. He said so to his hitting coach, Rich Gedman.
“Geddy’s sitting there and he says ‘well, he’s seen 44 pitches tonight,’” Tracy recalled.
While seeing nearly one-fifth of the pitches thrown by the Bisons that night might seem like an outlier (and it is – Tracy said he can’t recall a player seeing that many pitches before), it’s a testament to the excellent plate discipline Meidroth has shown all season long.
Even though Meidroth isn’t one for digging into the stats himself, it’s worth looking at the numbers to put into context just how good he’s been this season.
Meidroth came into Thursday’s WooSox game tied for the most walks of any player across all of the minor league levels with 56 in 278 plate appearances. He added a pair of walks in Thursday’s shortened contest.
“I actually really like that stat because as the leadoff guy, I’m trying to get on base for the next guy and so I pride myself on having a good at-bat,” Meidroth said, “and whether it’s hitting the ball or taking my walks, I’m always trying to be on base for the guys behind me.”
He’s also seen the 12th-most pitches of any MiLB player this year. The 22-year-old’s .446 OBP is good for third in the International League, and his 20.1% walk rate ranks second below just Jackson Holliday.
This season, he’s made contact with an impressive 94% of pitches he’s seen inside the zone, and made contact on 91.4% of his swings overall.
That kind of plate discipline and zone recognition is “one of the biggest translators” Tracy sees when it comes to minor leaguers making the jump to the majors.
“Simply put, he just doesn’t swing unless you throw it over. He’s that good,” Tracy said. “It’s not just the walks, it’s what he can do when he gets to two strikes. They’re throwing him tough pitches around the fringes of his zone and he’ll just stand there and foul them off and have a 10, 11-pitch at-bat every time he walks up there. It wears the pitching down.”
So what’s the secret to Meidroth’s patience?
“I’m actually a pretty impatient person, so I actually don’t understand why I’m so patient at the plate,” he said. “I don’t really think much when I’m up there. I just play and some days it happens, some days it doesn’t. I think it’s been happening a little more than not though recently.”
Meidroth says when he’s in the box, he’s only thinking about one thing: beating the pitcher.
“It’s me versus you when I’m in that box and yeah, if you throw it down the middle, I’m going to hit it. If you don’t, I’m probably going to take it,” Meidroth said. “If you land three good pitches, then I’ll walk back to the dugout just as happy as when I got up there. Good for you. You beat me. I’ll see you next at bat.”
Clippers 7, WooSox 6
They were able to get in 8 1/2 innings on the books before thunderstorms moved in, but the storms moved quick and after a short delay, the WooSox were able to finish.
Down 2-0 in the sixth, the WooSox rallied to plate a pair, but the Clippers got to reliever Bailey Horn in the top of the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. The Clippers broke it open with four runs off Ryan Zeferjahn in the ninth.
The WooSox rewarded the fans who stayed through the delay (and through the second burst of pouring rain) with a two-out rally in the ninth. Nick Sogard had a big double in the ninth, and Nick Yorke went down 1-2 but battled through a nine-pitch at-bat to eventually single. The WooSox couldn’t push the tying run across, however.
Starter Jason Alexander went five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk. Meidroth reached four times with two walks and a hit, and Nathan Hickey had a RBI single. Contreras went 2-for-4 and Matthew Lugo doubled.
Notes
– Wilyer Abreu was back for a third rehab game in Worcester with the Red Sox off on Thursday. Abreu went 1-for-3 as the DH. On Wednesday night, he was only scheduled to play seven innings in right field, but he asked Tracy to stay in for all nine, and got the green light. He hit a home run, his second of the night, in his final at-bat on Wednesday.
What’s Next
Cooper Criswell, who was sent down earlier this week, will back his first start back with the WooSox since he was promoted in April. First pitch against the Clippers is at 6:45 p.m. with fireworks to follow the game.
