Bio
RHP Kade Mechals joins the Explorers for his third season of professional baseball after playing two seasons in the White Sox organization. The 26-year-old righty was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB draft out of Grand Canyon University where he had played two seasons of college ball.
Mechals last played for High-A Winston Salem in the 2023 season where he appeared in eight games. He allowed four runs over 12 innings in his first six games for the Dash between May 13 and June 9, but was placed on the IL shortly after and wouldn’t return before being released. He started the year with Single-A Kannapolis where he pitched in five games before his promotion.
After starting the 2022 season on the IL, Mechals was activated in August to pitch against the ACL Rangers where he had a three-up, three-down eighth, but was put back on the IL before he could pitch again. The Oregon native also struggled with injuries the previous season where he couldn’t pitch throughout the year, sidelined on the IL.
Mechals was drafted in the fourth round by the White Sox after a shortened season with GCU. During the season, he started all three games he played, pitching 15 innings and earning a 2.35 ERA with 18 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP. He started that season holding No. 16 Oklahoma State to just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts in five innings. Over the season, he held opposing batters to just a .164 average and tied for the team lead with 18 strikeouts.
The previous year was his first season with the Antelopes, posting a 2.16 ERA over 91.2 innings while striking out 100 batters. That run got him selected by the Marlins in the 40th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, but he decided to come back to play another season with the ‘Lopes. His season also included a few other accolades, including being named All-WAC starting pitcher and named to the WAC All-Tournament Team.
Before pitching at GCU, Mechals went to Skagit Valley College where he started eight games and had a 1.72 ERA across 47 innings. That season, he held opponents to just 17 total hits, working a .106 batting average against and being named first team All-NWAC. The year prior he played for Western Oregon University, working a 1.59 ERA as the Wolves’ closer, also picking up seven saves in his 22.2 innings of action. He placed second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in saves and was named second team All-GNAC.
Mechals is from McMinnville, Oregon and is son of Kip and Jody Mechals. He played high school baseball at McMinnville High School where he tossed a no-hitter in the state playoffs as a junior. His mother, Jody, played volleyball at Western Oregon and his sister, Karly, played soccer at Western State Colorado University.