Joe Mauer Biography

Joseph Patrick Mauer, born on April 19, 1983, played professional baseball as a catcher and first baseman for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball. Mauer is the only catcher in MLB history to win three batting titles and the only one to win a batting title in the American League. Selected first overall in the 2001 MLB draft, he earned six All-Star selections, three Gold Glove Awards, and the 2009 AL Most Valuable Player Award. He attended the same high school as Paul Molitor, who later managed him with the Minnesota Twins. His high school coach said Mauer had been prepared for professional baseball since childhood. Mauer struck out only once during his four-year high school career, a rare feat in baseball. He played for Team USA Junior National from 1998 to 2000 and hit .595 in his final year.