West Chester native, Millersville U. product and Astros outfielder Chas McCormick is PSWA’s native son for 2024
In recent years, the Houston Astros have been the best team in baseball. Over seven seasons starting in 2017, they’ve won six division titles, four American League pennants, and two World Series.
As part of that record, they’ve won two pennants and one World Series in the last three years. Outfielder Chas McCormick was an integral part that run.
As the winner of this year’s Native Son Award from the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association, McCormick is the classic example of the phrase “local boy makes good.” Since joining the team in 2021, he has many noteworthy accomplishments.
McCormick grew up in West Chester where he graduated from Henderson High School while becoming the first player in the school’s history to score 1,000 points in basketball and deliver 100 hits in baseball. After that, he attended Millersville University where he hit .412 in his senior year and was named to the All-American baseball team. He holds Millersville records for hits, runs, RBI, and triples and is the all-time hits leader in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference where he made the All-Conference team four straight years.
Chas was drafted by the Astros in 2017 and after nearly four years in the minor leagues he joined the impressive list of athletes from the Philadelphia area who became major league players. McCormick considers his local roots as playing a key role in his career.
“The passion and hunger that Philadelphia has for championships of any sport has driven me to compete at the highest level,” he said. “It started with watching the Phillies go to back-to-back World Series in 2008 and 2009 when I was 12 and 13 years old.”
Since joining the Astros, McCormick, who is one of the rare players who bats righthanded and throws lefthanded, has performed regularly as an outfielder while playing all three positions, but for the most part been the team’s regular right fielder. While playing in right in 2022, he made a memorable catch in the World Series against the Phillies.
In the ninth inning of Game 5, J. T. Realmuto smashed a long drive to right field. McCormick raced back and crashed against the wall, but made the catch while tumbling to the warning track. It was a remarkable play that prevented some runs and preserved the Astros’ 3-2 lead one day before they clinched the Series.
McCormick also did something very special in the ALCS that year when he homered in both the first and second games to help the Astros sweep the New York Yankees.
Chas had his best year in 2023 when he hit .273 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs. In one game, he had six RBI, including a two-run double and a three-run homer in a 10-9 win over the Texas Rangers.
Along the way, he was named American League Player of the Week after batting .636 with three home runs.
Entering the 2024 season, the 28-year-old McCormick will take with him a career batting average of .259 with 50 home runs and 164 RBI. For him, playing in the big leagues provides a very special feeling.
“It feels great to be a major league player,” he said. “I have learned so much about myself and the game while playing at the highest level. I’m very blessed to have this opportunity, and always remind myself of that. I never want to take this opportunity for granted. It’s a small fraternity that I’m honored to be part of.”
Indeed, McCormick is an important part of that “small fraternity.”
And he is a prominent member of the Philadelphia area’s group of successful native sons.