Josh VanMeter #1

Name is pronounced “VAN-meter”.....is married.....wife’s name is Paige...graduated from Norwell (IN) High School, where he also played basketball...Committed to Illinois State University prior to being drafted by San Diego...Grew up a Cubs fan, taking family trips to Wrigley Field each summer...At the time of his initial promotion to the Major Leagues in 2019 was playing a game for Triple-A Louisville in his home state of Indiana against Indianapolis.....after not being able to reach his parents right away, his younger sister, Carlie, drove to their house around midnight, woke them up and delivered the good news.

2023

Spent the entire season in the Minors with the Milwaukee Brewers organization…was signed to a Minor League contract with the Brewers on 1/9 and attended Spring Training as a non-roster invitee…combined with Triple-A Nashville and the ACL Brewers (rehab assignment) to hit .209 (33-for-158) with 34R, three doubles, one triple, 6HR, 22RBI and 49BB in 51 games… was released on 9/24.

2022

Has started 189 career games in the Major Leagues (99g at 2B, 32g in LF, 28g at 1B, 24g at 3B, 5g at DH, 1g in RF)...Last season pitched for the first time in his pro career: 5/22 vs. St. Louis, 7/1 vs. Milwaukee and 7/6 vs. New York-AL...His only career appearance as a catcher came on 5/7/22 at Cincinnati-G1 (caught the eighth inning) after starter Roberto Pérez was injured and backup Andrew Knapp was previously ejected.....was his first time catching since high school.

2021

In 112 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks, batted .212 (58-for-274) with 26R, 17 doubles, two triples, 6HR, 36RBI and 33BB…posted career highs in games played, hits, RBI and walks…25 of his 58H went for extra-bases…batted .326 (14-for-43) with two doubles, one triple, 1HR and 4BB vs. left-handers…hit .333/.472/.593 (18-for-54) with five doubles, 3HR, 29RBI, 15BB and 1HP with RISP…made his first career Opening Day roster…reached base a career-high five times on 4/11 vs. Cincinnati (2H/3BB)…was optioned to Triple-A Reno on 5/22…batted .388/.538/.881 (26-for-67) with 23R, six doubles, 9HR, 20RBI and 23BB in 19 games with Reno…was named the Pacific Coast League “Player of the Week” from 6/14-20 after hitting .524/.643/1.476 (11-for-21) with 10R, two doubles, 6HR, 12RBI and 7BB in five games… was recalled to Arizona on 6/20…eight of his nine hits from 7/19-31 went for extra bases (6 doubles, 1 triple, 1HR)…recorded his first career “walk-off” hit with a solo HR in the ninth inning on 10/3 vs. Colorado.

2020

Combined to bat .129 (9-for-70) with 3 doubles, 2 home runs and 6 RBI in 26 games with the Reds (14 G) and D-backs (12 G)...Acquired from the Reds on Aug. 31, along with OF Stuart Fairchild, for RHP Archie Bradley and cash considerations...Played in 17 games at first base, 3 at first base and 2 at third…also made 2 starts as designated hitter...Hit his first career pinch-hit home run on Aug. 12 vs. Royals.

2019

In his Major League debut made 95 apps, including 54 starts at 5 positions and DH (32gs in LF, 9gs at 1B, 9gs at 2B, 2gs at 3B, 1gs in RF, 1gs at DH)...Among National League rookies ranked eighth in walks and T9th in stolen bases...Had 4 stints on the Reds' roster...from 5/5-5/16 went 2-for-14 (1rbi) in 8 apps and 2 starts...from 5/21-6/18 made 20 apps and 5 starts (7-27, .259, 2 2b, 2rbi)...in his third stint, from 7/4-7/7 went 1-for-4 with a 2-run double in 2 apps (PH, PH-LF-2B-1B-LF)...Was promoted for the final time just after the All-Star break, as 1 of 7 roster moves on 7/18, and finished the season hitting .240 (10 2b, 1 3b, 8hr, 19rbi) in his last 65 apps and 47 starts...Beginning 8/12 started 35 of the Reds' last 46 games (20gs in LF, 10gs at 1B, 4gs at 2B, 1gs in RF)...Was 1 of 4 Reds players to homer in at least 3 straight games (7/24-7/27; Eugenio Suárez 4 times, Joey Votto, Aristides Aquino)...On the first pitch of the game in the 3-2 walkoff loss on 8/31/night at StL produced his first career leadoff HR (off Michael Wacha)...Earned the first of his 4 promotions on 5/5 and in that night's 6-5 loss vs SF became the second Reds player to make his Major League debut this season and the second rookie to appear in a game for the Reds (CF Nick Senzel)...pinch hit in the seventh inning, took a walk off Reyes Moronta and stole second base on the first pitch...In the 12-4 win on 5/6 vs SF pinch hit, recorded his first career RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded...then played 2B (7th inning) and 3B (8th, 9th)...On 5/8 at Oak served as the DH and batted ninth in the first start of his Major League career...in his first plate appearance singled off Brett Anderson for his first career hit...In the seventh inning of the 3-2 win on 7/20 vs StL hit his first career home run, a 2-run HR off Miles Mikolas that snapped the 1-1 tie...His solo HR off RHP Jhoulys Chacín on 7/24 at Mil traveled 463 feet per Statcast, the longest by a Reds batter in 2019 and the second-longest by any player at Miller Park in 2019 (Travis Shaw, 465 feet, 6/23 vs Cin)...was the longest home run by a visiting player at Miller Park since StL's Marcell Ozuna hit a 479- foot HR on 4/3/18...In the eighth inning of the 9-8 loss on 8/25 at Pit became the 36th player to homer into the Allegheny River (2-run off Kyle Crick)...was accomplished for the 54th time...On 9/13 at Ari snapped a season-high 0-for-16 skid with a 2-run HR off Mike Leake...Was 1 of 5 Reds players to make his Major League debut (CF Nick Senzel, OF Brian O'Grady, RHP Jimmy Herget, RHP Joel Kuhnel).