Griffin Canning Bio
Griffin Alexander Canning (born May 11, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels and New York Mets. Canning made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Angels and won a Gold Glove Award in 2020.
A right-handed starter known for his strikeout ability, Canning developed into one of the top college arms in California before being selected in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He later transitioned to a new organization in 2024 and continued his big-league career into 2025 before a season-ending injury.
Early Life and Background
Griffin Alexander Canning was born on May 11, 1996, in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. He grew up in the same Orange County community where he would later star as a high school pitcher. Canning attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School, where he played for the school’s baseball team and quickly emerged as one of the top arms in the region.
As a senior, Canning posted an 11–3 win–loss record with a 1.51 earned run average and 123 strikeouts, earning Orange County Register Pitcher of the Year honors. In his final high school start, he led Santa Margarita to victory in the 2014 California Interscholastic Federation SS Division I Championship, recording 11 strikeouts and allowing only two hits. Following that season, Canning was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 38th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but he did not sign and instead chose to attend college.
Path to Professional Baseball
Canning enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played college baseball for the Bruins. As a freshman in 2015, he made 15 appearances with 11 starts, going 7–1 with a 2.97 ERA and 66 strikeouts. He quickly established himself as a reliable weekend starter in one of the country’s premier college baseball programs.
As a sophomore, Canning became UCLA’s number one starter, making 15 starts and going 5–8 with a 3.70 ERA and 95 strikeouts. He returned as the Bruins’ ace in 2017, posting a 7–4 record with a 2.34 ERA and 140 strikeouts across 17 starts. His strong junior campaign positioned him as one of the top pitching prospects in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Griffin Canning Career
Early Career (2018)
The Los Angeles Angels selected Canning with the 47th pick in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft, and he signed with the club for a $1,459,200 signing bonus. He did not pitch in 2017 and made his professional debut in 2018 with the Inland Empire 66ers of the High-A California League. After pitching 8+2⁄3 scoreless innings, he was promoted to the Mobile BayBears of the Double-A Southern League before eventually reaching the Salt Lake Bees of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in June.
In 25 starts across three minor league levels, Canning went 4–3 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. His rapid climb through the Angels’ system signaled his readiness for the major leagues heading into the following spring.
Los Angeles Angels Breakthrough (2019–2024)
Canning returned to Salt Lake to begin the 2019 season. On April 30, 2019, the Angels promoted him to the major leagues, and he made his debut that night against the Toronto Blue Jays, recording six strikeouts over 4+1⁄3 innings. After multiple trips to the injured list with elbow inflammation, the Angels announced on August 22 that they would shut him down for the rest of the season. He finished his rookie year 5–6 with a 4.58 ERA and 96 strikeouts.
In the shortened 2020 season, Canning went 2–3 with a 3.99 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 11 starts. He tied for the American League lead among pitchers with three defensive runs saved and made just one error out of 16 chances, earning his first Gold Glove Award. Canning’s defensive excellence behind his pitching cemented his reputation as a complete big-league starter.
Health challenges followed. In 2021, Canning went 5–4 with a 5.60 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 13 starts before being optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on July 3. On August 10, the Angels announced that he would miss the rest of the season with a low back stress fracture. Canning was placed on the 60-day injured list to begin 2022, and in August he was shut down after multiple setbacks in his recovery, making no professional appearances that year. On January 13, 2023, he signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Angels, avoiding salary arbitration.
Canning returned to form in 2024, making 32 appearances (31 starts) for the Angels and compiling a 6–13 record with a 5.19 ERA and 130 strikeouts across 171+2⁄3 innings. On October 31, 2024, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jorge Soler, but the Braves non-tendered him on November 22, making him a free agent.
New York Mets Era (2025)
On December 19, 2024, Canning signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract with the New York Mets. In 16 starts for the Mets, he posted a 7–3 record and a 3.77 ERA with 70 strikeouts across 76+1⁄3 innings pitched, emerging as a steady mid-rotation presence.
On June 26, 2025, in a 4–0 victory over the Atlanta Braves, Canning suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, abruptly ending his season. Following the injury, he became a free agent once again.
Driving Style and Strengths
Canning is a right-handed starter who relies on swing-and-miss stuff, regularly producing high strikeout totals throughout his career. His 2020 Gold Glove Award highlighted his fielding ability and fundamentals on the mound. Throughout his development, his competitiveness and durability when healthy have been central to his identity as a pitcher.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Canning’s career are his 2014 California Interscholastic Federation championship performance, his 2019 MLB debut against the Toronto Blue Jays, and his 2020 Gold Glove Award. His 2025 Achilles injury in a victory over the Atlanta Braves marked a sudden and unfortunate end to a resurgent season with the Mets.
Griffin Canning Career Wins
Across his MLB career, Canning has compiled a verified set of regular-season decisions, highlighted by his 7–3 record with the New York Mets in 2025 prior to his injury. His major-league win total reflects both his early success with the Los Angeles Angels and his productive stint with the Mets.
Los Angeles Angels Highlights
Canning pitched for the Angels from 2019 through 2024, accumulating the bulk of his major-league decisions during that span. His 2019 debut season produced a 5–6 record, and he added a 2–3 mark during the 2020 Gold Glove campaign. He went 5–4 in 2021 before his season was cut short by injury, and posted a 6–13 record across 32 appearances in 2024.
Other Wins & Performances
At the high-school level, Canning posted an 11–3 record as a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. In the minor leagues in 2018, he went 4–3 with a 3.65 ERA across three levels. At UCLA, he compiled a 19–13 collegiate record across three seasons, including a 7–4 mark with a 2.34 ERA as a junior in 2017.
Griffin Canning Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information regarding Griffin Canning’s family background and personal relationships is limited. He was raised in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, where he attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School.
Personal Life
Verified details about Griffin Canning’s spouse, children, or other personal relationships are not available from the supplied sources. His professional biography has been the primary focus of public reporting throughout his career.
2025 Season Performance
Griffin Canning entered 2025 as a member of the New York Mets after signing a one-year, $4.25 million contract in December 2024. He quickly became a valuable member of the Mets’ rotation, posting a 7–3 record with a 3.77 ERA and 70 strikeouts across 16 starts and 76+1⁄3 innings.
His strong performance suggested a career resurgence in a new organization, offering the Mets a reliable arm behind their top starters. On June 26, 2025, however, Canning suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a 4–0 win over the Atlanta Braves, abruptly ending his season and placing his future plans on hold.
Following the injury, Canning entered free agency once again. His outlook going forward will depend on his recovery timeline, but his 2025 production before the injury reinforced his value as a starting pitcher capable of contributing at the major-league level.