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HOUSTON - The evening before the 2020 Major League Baseball playoffs began, Millersville University alum
Chas McCormick received a call from Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker. Baker informed McCormick, a 25-year-old outfielder, that he has been added to the team's 40-man roster for the duration of the playoffs, and will be on the active 28-man list for the first round series starting September 29 game against the Central Division-winning Minnesota Twins.
McCormick was previously not a member of the 40-man roster but spent the entirety of the Astros' 2020 season with the organization at the alternate site and as a member of the traveling MLB taxi squad on multiple occasions. He has yet to appear in an MLB game, but the realization of another dream is closer than ever before.
Brian McTaggert, Astros beat reporter for MLB.com, tweeted, "On Chas McCormick making roster, Baker said with Javier and Valdez in bullpen, there was an extra spot for somebody who could run, play defense. He won't have to burn Straw so he can keep him for the outfield."
"Getting the text and then the call from Chas brought tears to my eyes," said Millersville baseball coach
Jon Shehan. "Here is a guy playing D2 baseball that got turned in for the draft by one team and one scout, got drafted by that club late as a senior and since then has done nothing but find ways to compete, win and improve himself. He scratched and clawed his way through the minor leagues. He played every day like it could be his last because it could have been. He completely bought into the Astros' player development plan for him and he turned himself into a guy who is ready to compete at the world's highest level for arguably one of the best organizations in the game."
McCormick was invited to Astros spring training in each of the last three seasons, logging four total at bats in 2017 and 2018. But in the 2020 spring training, before play was halted, McCormick played in 17 games and totaled 26 at bats. He's displayed a knack for performing well in the postseason at all levels. As a rookie for Single A Quad Cities in 2017, he slashed .371/.465/.457 with six RBIs in nine playoff games,
leading his team to a Midwest League title. He hit .350 with
three home runs in five playoff games for Double A Corpus Christi. In 2019, McCormick led the Round Rock Express to the Pacific Coast League finals by slashing .303/.410/.485 with two homers in eight games (
also hitting a walk-off home run in the semifinals).
Before being drafted by the Astros in the 21st round of the 2017 MLB Draft, McCormick set the all-time PSAC hits record as a Marauder. He was named the PSAC East Athlete of the Year in 2017 and helped the Marauders to a NCAA Division II Championship runner-up finish in 2016. He remains the only four-time All-PSAC East selection in program history. In addition to hitting .373 over four years for Millersville, McCormick holds a .276 average and .360 on base percentage across three minor league levels. He also became a viral sensation after
flipping over a wall to make a catch.
"It's a great story and there is more to be written," said Shehan. "McCormick is the ultimate competitor. I hope he gets a chance to compete in the playoffs. He's the most clutch human being I know. I'm sure he is excited--not just to be there--but to actually help his team win. That's what he lives for. We are so proud of him."
McCormick joins Tim Mayza (currently rehabbing from an injury as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays) as Shehan coached Marauders in the majors. Of the four Marauders called up to the majors, McCormick is the only position player.
The Astros reached the postseason as a wild card and No. 7 seed in the American League. Game one of the series starts at 2 p.m. EST and airs live on ABC.
