HEIGHT: 6'5"
WEIGHT: 215 lbs
BATS: Left
THROWS: Right
BORN: 04/19/83
MLB Debut: 04/05/2004
HOMETOWN: St. Paul, MN
RESIDES: Fort Myers, FL
HOW OBTAINED: No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft.
Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983), is a major league catcher in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins. He was considered by many scouts to be the best young catcher in the sport and has been said to have one of the best swings in baseball.[1] In his breakout 2006 season, Mauer became the first catcher in major league history to lead both leagues in batting average and the first American League catcher to win the batting championship as a catcher. His average was .347.
2007 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Hit safely in eight of nine games, going 12-for-33 (.364), April 2-12...was 15-for-32 (.469) in nine games, April 14-24...tied career-high with three doubles, April 17 at Seattle...disabled with strained left quadriceps, May 6-June 8...began rehab assignment at Single-A Ft. Myers, June 6...hit safely in eight consecutive games, going 11-for-35 (.314), June 19-27...second career two-homer game, June 24 at Florida...hit first career grand slam, June 29 at Detroit...was 9-for-23 (.391) in five games, July 4-8...went 4-for-6 and tied career-high with five rbi, July 6 at Chicago (AL)...recorded Twins first inside-the-park home run since Torii Hunter (July 26, 2001), July 21 vs. Los Angeles (AL)...season-high 10-game hit-streak, going 15-for-40 (.375), July 14-24...had game-winning walk-off single in 9th inning, July 15 vs. Oakland...was 9-for-17 (.529) in four games, August 11-14...threw out 19 of 40 (48%) runners attempting to steal to up career totals to 58 of 127 (46%).
2006 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Was 9-23 (.391) in 6 games, April 5-12 . . . hit safely in 6 consecutive games, going 10-22 (.455), April 21-29 . . . had 7-game hit-streak, going 10-29 (.345), May 9-17 . . . career-high 11-game hit-streak, going 24-47 (.511), May 19-June 1 . . . fifth career 4-hit game, May 20 at Milwaukee . . . hit safely in 9 consecutive games, going 19-37 (.514), June 3-13 . . . named American League Player of the Week, June 5-11 . . . sixth career 4-hit game, June 6 at Seattle . . . seventh career 4-hit game (3rd of season) and career-high 5 rbi, June 26 vs. Dodgers . . . first career 5-hit game, June 27 vs. Dodgers . . . named American League Player of the Month for July ... selected to first career All-Star team, July 11 at Pittsburgh . . . was 11-23 (.478) in 6 games, July 16-21 . . . had 9-game hit-streak, going 13-34 (.382) with 2 homers and 8 rbi, July 31-August 9 . . . went 3-4 with 2 doubles and 4 rbi August 24 at Baltimore . . . recorded his 15th game with 3-or-more hits on September 8 vs. Detroit, he went 3-4 with 3 runs scored ... homered with 2 out in the 9th inning to tie Kansas City at 1-1, September 28, the Twins won 2-1 in 10 innings ... finished the season hitting .347 and won the American League batting title . . . Mauer is the first AL catcher to win the batting title, and at 23, the youngest batting champ since Alex Rodriguez (21) in 1996 . . . the last catcher to win the title was Ernie Lombardi in 1942 with the Boston Braves.
2005 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Hit safely in 8 of 9 games, going 11-36 (.306), April 4-16 . . . hit safely in 5 consecutive games with an at-bat, going 7-18 (.389), April 18-25 . . . had 6-game hit-streak, going 13-25 (.520), April 29-May 8 . . . second career 4-hit game, May 6 at Tampa Bay . . . homered in consecutive games, May 6-8 . . . had 9-game hit-streak, going 10-37 (.270), May 11-24 . . . hit safely in 6 of 7 games, going 10-28 (.357), June 8-16 . . . was 19-46 (.413) in 11 games, July 2-19 . . . third career 4-hit game, August 10 at Seattle . . . had 8-game hit-streak, going 13-31 (.419), August 13-21 . . . was 9-21 (.429) in 5 games, August 27-31 . . . fourth career 4-hit game, September 12 at Detroit . . . tied career-high 9-game hit-streak, going 14-34 (.412), September 9-20 . . . threw out 17 of 48 (22%) runners attempting to steal to up career totals to 22 of 64 (34%) . . . had .993 (6 E, 742 TC) fielding percentage . . . led club in batting and walks, tied for lead in intentional walks, was second in hits and multi-hit games (41), tied for second in stolen bases and was third in doubles . . . was tied for fourth in league in intentional walks (12) and sixth in batting vs. righthanders (.323).
Made major leage debut and singled off Rafael Betancourt for first big league hit, April 5 vs. Cleveland . . . disabled with medial meniscus tear in left knee, April 7-June 2 . . . had surgery to remove meniscus in left knee, April 8 . . . began rehab assignments at Ft. Myers and Rochester, May 26 . . . hit first major league homer off Esteban Yan, June 6 vs. Detroit . . . was 8-17 (.471) in 6 games, June 9-15 . . . career-high 6-game hit-streak, going 12-22 (.545), June 29-July 5 . . . first career 2-homer game, June 30 vs. Chicago . . . first career 4- hit game, July 7 vs. Kansas City . . . disabled for remainder of season with sore left knee, July 19 . . . won Bill Boni Award as Twins' Outstanding Rookie.
Began season at Ft. Myers ... was 12-26 (.462) in 7 games, April 18-24 ... hit safely in 9 of 11 games, going 18- 46 (.391), May 3-14 ... tied season-high 4 hits, May 14 at St. Lucie ... season-high 19-game hit-streak, going 30-73 (.411), May 18-June 6 ... Twins' Minor League Player of the Week, May 24-30 ... played in Florida State League All-Star Game, June 14 at Ft. Myers ... batted .392 (31-79) with runners in scoring position ... was 4-10 (.400) with the bases loaded ... promoted to New Britain, June 16 ... had 11-game hit-streak, going 16-40 (.400), June 22-July 5 ... was 33-77 (.429) in 17 games, July 8-27 ... played for United States Team in Futures Game, July 13 at Chicago ... Twins' Minor League Player of the Month for July ... named Topps' Eastern League Player of the Month for July ... hit safely in 8 of 9 games, going 13-33 (.394), August 1-9 ... tied season-high 5 rbi, August 3 at Bowie ... had 9-game hit-streak, going 14-30 (.467), August 16-22 ... was 3-8 (.375) with the bases loaded ... threw out 36 of 69 (52%) runners attempting to steal on season ... led both Florida State League and Eastern League in throwing out runners attempting to steal ... led Twins' minor leaguers in hits, was second in rbi and fourth in walks ... was fifth among all minor leaguers in hits and was 11th in batting (.338) ... led all minor league catchers in batting ... selected to Florida State League Post-Season All-Star Team ... ranked Best Hitting prospect and Best Defensive Catcher in Florida State League by Baseball America ... named to Baseball America's Minor League All-Star Team and All-Defensive Team ... ranked Best Prospect in Eastern League and Florida State League... named Teenager of the Year by Sportsticker ... named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America and Sportsticker ... won Sherry Robertson Award as Twins' Minor League Player of the Year ... played for Team USA in Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Panama.
Hit safely in 9 of 10 games, 14-37 (.378), April 13-24...homered in consecutive games, April 14-15...was 12-26 (.462) in 6 games, April 30-May 5...season-high 9-game hit-streak, going 12-28 (.429), May 10-19...season-high 4 RBI, May 19 vs. Burlington...was 13-21 (.619) in 6 games, June 5-10...hit safely in 11 of 12 games, June 15-July 3...was selected to Midwest League All-Star team, June 18 at Lansing...hit safely in 9 of 10 games, going 15-37 (.405), July 11-23...tied season-high 3 hits, Aug. 24 at Clinton...disabled for remainder of season after surgery to repair hernia, Aug. 30...had surgery to repair hernia, Aug. 30...led club in walks, was second in batting, hits, and RBI, tied for second in doubles and fourth in at-bats and runs...threw out 45 of 108 (42%) runners attempting to steal...selected to Sportsticker's Midwest League All-Teen Team and league Post-Season All-Star team...rated top Minor League catching prospect, second best arm strength, third best receiving skills and best defensive catcher in Midwest League and selected to Low Class-A All-Star team by Baseball America.
2001 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Hit safely in 7 of 8 games, going 13-29 (.448), July 23-Aug. 4...was 11-13 (.846) in 3 games, Aug. 22-23...tied season-high 4 hits, Aug. 23 at Martinsville...Twins' Minor League Player of the Week, going 14-29 (.483), Aug. 26-Sept. 1...Twins' Minor League Player of the Month for August, going 44-107 (.411)...hit safely in 22 of 32 games...threw out 10 of 31 (32%) runners attempting to steal on season...rated top prospect in Appalachian League and top Minor League catching prospect by Baseball America.
