The two played against each other in high school and Meacham, knowing Gwynn's abilities well, encouraged Coach Jim Dietz to give him an opportunity.

His batting average improved to .259 in 1982 with the Florida State League's St. Petersburg Cardinals, but his .915 fielding percentage and 47 errors was far worse than the organization that employed Ozzie Smith at short was accustomed to.

The Yankees won on a Butch Wynegar walk off home run before Meacham could log his first major league plate appearance.

The Yankees ended up having something of a revolving door at shortstop, with Meacham, Foli, Roy Smalley, and Andre Robertson all seeing playing time at the position.

The most notable play of Meacham's career was a bizarre baserunning gaffe which also involved Dale Berra in an 11-inning 6–5 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium, on August 2, 1985.

With Meacham and Berra the runners at second and first base respectively in the seventh inning of a game tied at three, Rickey Henderson hit a ball that rolled to the farthest reaches of left-center field.

After catching the relay throw from shortstop Ozzie Guillén, catcher Carlton Fisk tagged out Meacham to his right, then turned to his left just a split second later to do the same to Berra, completing the double play.

"[6] The Yankees were growing frustrated with Meacham's generally inconsistent play, and had acquired both Paul Zuvella and Wayne Tolleson in separate deals during the 1986 season to replace him at short.

He spent all of 1988 with the big league club, but injuries and the off season acquisition of Rafael Santana from the New York Mets limited Meacham to only 47 games, during which, he saw about half his playing time at second base.

Yankees team owner George Steinbrenner was particularly frustrated with Meacham's injuries and lackluster play and often lambasted him in the New York press.

He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates shortly afterward, spending all of the 1989 season with their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, but never reaching the major league level.