Joshua Michael VanMeter (born March 10, 1995) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

left fielder In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering sy ...

and

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

in the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association wi ...

organization. He previously played in MLB for the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. ...

and

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. Founded as part o ...

Career

San Diego Padres

VanMeter graduated from Norwell High School and was selected by the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

in the 5th round of the

2013 Major League Baseball draft The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. Each team received one selection per round, going in ...

. He signed with the Padres, forgoing his commitment to play

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...

. He spent 2013 with the

Arizona League Padres The Arizona Complex League Padres are a Rookie-level affiliate of the San Diego Padres, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, which is also th ...

where he slashed .278/.378/.348 with ten RBIs in 44 games. In 2014, he played for the

Fort Wayne TinCaps The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and play their home games at Parkview Field. They won their lone Midwest ...

where he batted .254 with three home runs and 39 RBIs in 116 games, and in 2015, he returned to Fort Wayne but played in only 25 games due to injury. He spent 2016 with both the

Lake Elsinore Storm The Lake Elsinore Storm are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays their home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond (Pete Lehr Field), which opened in 1994; the park s ...

and

San Antonio Missions The San Antonio Missions are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in San Antonio, Texas, and are named for the Spanish missions around which the city was founded ...

and compiled a combined .251 batting average with 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 124 total games between the two teams.

Cincinnati Reds

On December 9, 2016, VanMeter was traded to the

as the player to be named later for Luis Torrens. The Reds assigned him to the

Pensacola Blue Wahoos The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are based in Pensacola, Florida, and play their home games at Admiral Fetterman Field. In 2012, the team re ...

and he spent the whole 2017 season there, batting .255/.326/.352 with five home runs, 54 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 132 games. VanMeter spent 2018 with both Pensacola and the

Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the winged mammal and baseball ...

, slashing a combined .260/.337/.454 with 12 home runs and 59 RBIs in 128 total games between both teams. He returned to Louisville to begin 2019. On May 5, 2019, VanMeter was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, and made his major league debut against the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

. On July 20, against the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals h ...

, he hit his first major league home run.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 31, 2020, VanMeter was traded alongside Stuart Fairchild in a deal with the

for Archie Bradley. In 12 games with the Diamondbacks, VanMeter slashed .194/.294/.333 with 1 home run and 5 RBI. In 2021, VanMeter batted .212/.297/.354 with 6 home runs and 36 RBIs in 112 games. He was designated for assignment on March 27, 2022.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On March 31, 2022, VanMeter was traded to the

in exchange for Listher Sosa. On May 7, in a game against the

, VanMeter was used as an emergency catcher for the final inning of the 9-2 loss. He was forced into action after Roberto Pérez suffered a season-ending hamstring injury and Andrew Knapp was given his first career ejection after arguing a check swing call. On May 22, in a blowout loss against the

, VanMeter pitched the ninth inning for the team, allowing four hits and five runs, including a pair of home runs. On September 6, VanMeter was designated for assignment. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple–A

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which opene ...

on September 10. In 67 games for Pittsburgh, batted .187 with 3 home runs and 14 RBI. VanMeter elected free agency following the season on October 6.

Milwaukee Brewers

On January 9, 2023, VanMeter signed a minor league deal with the

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:VanMeter, Josh 1995 births Living people Arizona Complex League Brewers players Arizona Diamondbacks players Arizona League Padres players Baseball players from Indiana Cincinnati Reds players Fort Wayne TinCaps players Lake Elsinore Storm players Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball infielders Pensacola Blue Wahoos players People from Wells County, Indiana Peoria Javelinas players Pittsburgh Pirates players San Antonio Missions players