This year's Major League Baseball first-year player draft included the selection of two Manhattan Beach baseball standouts (both Mira Costa baseball players from the Class of 2019) - Chase Meidroth and Jared Karros.

Midfielder Chase Meidroth, who attends the University of San Diego, was the 129th overall pick, chosen by the Boston Red Sox. Meidroth has been spending the summer playing with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Meidroth's father Greg Meidroth told MB News that he and his son learned the news together in their living room while watching the draft on TV.  "It was just an unbelievable moment," he said. "Think about it - a kid from Manhattan Beach going in the 4th round to the Boston Red Sox."

Chase Meidroth has been involved in baseball in Manhattan Beach through all of the levels, from T-ball, to Manhattan Beach Little League, to all-star teams, to club teams, and Mira Costa Baseball, noted his father.

Right-handed pitcher Jared Karros, who attends UCLA, was the number 495 pick, chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers. (The choice has sentimental value for both Karros and the Dodgers; Karros is the son of former Dodgers star Eric Karros.)

"I am extremely excited for this upcoming opportunity," the younger Karros told MB News. "The past couple years did not go how I envisioned as I battled injury. Through my persistent work and dedication, however, I have been able to get to this point. I am extremely grateful for my time at UCLA and all the things I was able to learn while being there. Coach [John] Savage always supported me and I can't thank him enough for what he has done for me. I can't wait to be a Dodger!"

Greg Meidroth noted that his son and Jared Karros are close friends who have played baseball together for years, and are actually hanging out this weekend to celebrate Meidroth's 21st birthday before they both leave for their new baseball adventures.

The first-year player draft is the means by which Major League Baseball assigns amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur clubs to its teams. When a first-year player is drafted, they have until August 1 to sign a contract and then they are typically assigned to one of the minor league teams from that franchise.

In 2020, the first year of COVID, MLB shrunk the draft from 40 rounds down to just 5. Starting in 2021, and moving forward, the draft is now 20 rounds. The event typically draws hundreds of thousands of viewers, comprised of both diehard baseball fans and locals rooting for their hometown baseball heroes.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan Beach, after a two-year stretch in which COVID massively disrupted youth and college sports, baseball is once again on the upswing with winning All-Star Little League teams and club teams.