Win Gurney, Aiden Pinn
Staff Writers
Five Mira Costa Baseball players have been drafted over the past three years. Mira Costa continues to produce elite athletes, and likely will see more alums selected in the coming years.
2021 grads Jared Karros and Petey Halpin 2022 grads, Kyle Karros and Chase Meidroth and 2020 grad Merrick Baldo
With less than 0.05% of high school baseball players making it to the professional level, Mira Costa can proudly claim an almost 17% draft rate for the 2019 and 2020 graduating classes. Karros was lucky enough to play at Costa with his older brother, Jared, a very promising pitcher drafted in 2022 to the LA Dodgers. Kyle’s good friends and former Costa teammates Chase Meidroth, drafted to the Boston Red Sox, Petie Halpin, drafted to the Cleveland Guardians, and Merrick Baldo, drafted to the Washington Nationals. These are among some of the first people Kyle credits his success to,
“We all shared this deep love for baseball, and it pushed us to be better every single day,” Kyle Karros said, “The real magic is in the players and how they approach the game. When the players are motivated by their passion for the game and for each other the team thrives.”
According to Karros he also credits the exceptional coaching he received at Costa during his time there,
“The coaches gave us players the freedom to grow, which made all the difference,” Karros said. “The Costa tradition of fostering both individual and team growth at Costa continues today under the helm of Coach Diver.”
“Costa baseball is special because it has one of the best environments that really allow kids to get better and grow as a team,” Senior shortstop and USC commit Max Martinez said.
According to Martinez, the incredible opportunities kids in the South Bay have allowed them to explore a diverse offering of sports, setting Costa athletes apart from the rest.
“I grew up in Manhattan Beach, and my baseball journey started with little league,” Karros said. “In the summer, I also played some travel ball with the Manhattan Beach Heaters. But, my parents wanted me to have time for other sports like soccer and basketball and honestly, soccer was my favorite sport back then.”
Records prove there is no doubt Costa athletics are exceptional. With Girls’ Volleyball ranking at the top of the Open Division, Boys and Girls Basketball prevailing in the open divisions as well, and a Football team that is climbing the ranks, moving from Division 7 to Division 4 this year.
“My absolute favorite memory is just the time spent with the guys,” Karros said. “High-school baseball is fantastic because you’re out there playing with the same kids you grew up with. That’s what makes it special.”
Leave a Reply