GLENDALE, Ariz. — Chase Meidroth got more playing time at shortstop in the weeks leading to Opening Day than anyone in White Sox camp, and with no obvious choice of someone to man this key position after top prospect Colson Montgomery was sent to minor league camp, he seemed to stand a good shot at getting the nod Thursday when the Sox host the Angels.
But Meidroth was informed Monday that he wouldn’t be on the team. Jacob Amaya, the best defensive shortstop in major league camp, becomes the best bet to get the Opening Day nod.
A .251/.353/.389 hitter in the Dodgers, Marlins and Astros minor league systems, Amaya batted .179 in 23 games for the Sox last season. He was batting .240/.406/.360 in Cactus League games this spring going into the last tuneup game Monday against the Athletics in Glendale.
“Far better spring than what I’ve had in previous years,” said Amaya, who started at shortstop with the expected Opening Day infield of Miguel Vargas at third base, Lenyn Sosa at second and Andrew Vaughn at first. “Was able to put wood on the balls, make plays and felt pretty good.”
Amaya was in good spirits before the game and declined to speculate on Opening Day.
“Nothing confirmed yet,” he said.
The Sox will fly to Chicago after the game with a group including more than the 26 players who will make the Opening Day roster, which doesn’t have to be set until Thursday morning.
Several infielders who are on the bubble, including Brooks Baldwin, Nick Maton and Tristan Gray, are expected to be on the plane without knowing if they’ll be on the team. Outfielder Travis Jankowski is in the same situation as general manager Chris Getz and staff wait till the last minute while considering waiver claims, potential trades and players released from other camps.
“It puts a stress on everybody,” first-year manager Will Venable said, “and this is part of it and you work through it.”
Amaya is “a great defender,” Venable said. “And we love the stability that he brings to the defensive position. And he’s done a really nice job offensively, really kind of shortening down his stroke. He admittedly was trying to do a little too much early in camp, but I think he got back to kind of who he really is and has done a nice job offensively, as well.”
Getz was asked Sunday about Meidroth, who plays second base, shortstop and third base and seems best suited at second, as a shortstop.
“He has shown very well,” Getz said. “I’ve been impressed. He’s got good feet. He gets off the ball really well. Clean exchange. He’s been making all the plays he should with a little bit more.”
The Sox like Meidroth’s patient approach at bat but he batted just .154 in 16 spring games, with a .313 on-base-percentage thanks to nine walks.
“He does a great job controlling the zone,” Venable said. “I was transparent with him and just wanted him to just work on being a little more aggressive in the zone. That’s something that is going to be part of his challenge to get to who he wants to be as a big leaguer.
The Sox DFA’d Amaya on Jan. 8 to make room on the 40-man roster for free agent infielder Josh Rojas. He was claimed off waivers by the Orioles on Jan. 16, then DFA’d by that team 11 days later. The Sox claimed him on Feb. 3, a week before spring training.
“I made a little swing adjustment,” Amaya said Monday. “I had an upward swing in the past, came in here trying to be more compact with a downward swing, back to my doubles and singles swing and getting on base. Going up there and not letting a strike go by.”