Jonah Heim Bio
Jonah Nathan Heim is an American professional baseball catcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers. Over the course of his career, Heim has developed into a reliable defensive backstop, highlighted by an All-Star selection, a Gold Glove Award, and a World Series championship in 2023.
Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013, Heim spent several years in the minor leagues refining his offensive game before reaching the majors in 2020. He later became the everyday catcher for the Texas Rangers and played a central role in the franchise’s run to the 2023 World Series title. Born and raised in the Buffalo area, Heim has remained closely tied to his hometown throughout his professional journey.
Early Life and Background
Jonah Nathan Heim was born on June 27, 1995, in Buffalo, New York. A childhood fan of the New York Yankees, he grew up admiring catchers such as Jorge Posada and Russell Martin. Heim frequently watched the Buffalo Bisons, then the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland organization, play at Sahlen Field. He began playing baseball at the age of two, and by the time he was around 12 years old, he had taken up switch-hitting, a decision he explained to his father by saying that hitting from the right side was boring.
Heim attended Kenmore East High School for one year before his family moved out of the district, which led him to transfer to Amherst Central High School. The harsh Buffalo climate allowed him to play only about 20 outdoor games in a typical season, and the team’s stadium did not have an outfield wall, with home runs often landing in nearby backyards or soccer fields. After batting .470 and picking off 12 baserunners during his junior year, Heim was invited to several national exhibition games, where he caught the attention of professional scouts and college recruiters. Amherst retired his No. 6 jersey shortly after his 2013 graduation.
Path to Baseball
Coming out of high school, Heim had committed to playing college baseball at Michigan State. However, the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the fourth round, 129th overall, of the 2013 MLB Draft, and he chose to turn down his college commitment. Heim signed with the Orioles for a $389,700 bonus and was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles, where he struggled at the plate in his first professional season.
Over the next several years, Heim worked steadily to develop his offensive abilities across multiple levels of Baltimore’s farm system. He split time between Low-A Aberdeen, Single-A Delmarva, and High-A Frederick, gradually improving his hitting and his defensive profile. By the time he reached the Carolina League All-Star break with the Frederick Keys in 2016, Heim had begun to establish himself as a promising catching prospect within the organization.
Jonah Heim Career
Minor League Years (2013–2019)
Heim spent his first three professional seasons in the Baltimore Orioles system, bouncing between the Gulf Coast League, Aberdeen, Delmarva, and Frederick. His early offensive numbers were modest, and he battled inconsistency at the plate, but the Orioles remained patient with his development. In 2015, he returned from a foot injury to finish the year batting .252 with one home run and 18 RBI in 45 games.
In August 2016, the Orioles traded Heim to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Steve Pearce, and he was assigned to the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs. After the 2017 season, Oakland acquired him as the player to be named later in the Joey Wendle trade. Heim responded with a strong 2019 split between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas, hitting a combined .310 with nine home runs and 53 RBI, and was added to Oakland’s 40-man roster that November.
Oakland Athletics (2020)
Heim made his major league debut on August 25, 2020, starting behind the plate in Oakland’s 10–3 win over the Texas Rangers. He recorded his first MLB hit that night, a single off Kyle Gibson, and went on to appear in 13 regular-season games as a backup to Sean Murphy. The Athletics reached the postseason that year, and Heim was named to the roster, though he did not appear in any playoff games.
Texas Rangers (2021–2025)
On February 6, 2021, Oakland traded Heim, along with Khris Davis and Dane Acker, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Elvis Andrus and Aramis Garcia. Heim opened his Rangers career by hitting his first major league home run on April 6, 2021, off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Tommy Milone. Later that summer, he became the first player in Texas Rangers history, and the first rookie in MLB history, to record walk-off home runs in back-to-back games against the Seattle Mariners.
In 2022, Heim hit his first major league grand slam off Shohei Ohtani on April 14, contributing to a 10–5 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The following season, he was voted in as the American League starting catcher for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game and played 131 games for Texas, hitting .258 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI. That year, Heim was a member of the 2023 World Series champions and won his first American League Gold Glove Award for catcher. He made 124 appearances during the 2025 campaign, batting .213 with 11 home runs and 43 RBI, before being non-tendered by Texas on November 21, 2025, making him a free agent.
Notable Events and Milestones
Heim’s 2021 walk-off home runs against Seattle stand as one of the defining moments of his early Rangers tenure. His grand slam off Shohei Ohtani in 2022 marked the first grand slam Ohtani had allowed in his major league career. The 2023 season capped his rise, as he earned an All-Star nod, a Gold Glove, and a World Series ring with the Rangers.
Jonah Heim Career Highlights
Across his time in the majors with Oakland and Texas, Heim established himself as a defensive-minded catcher whose most memorable achievements came in a Rangers uniform. His biggest career milestones include his 2023 All-Star selection, his Gold Glove Award that same year, and his role on the 2023 World Series championship team.
Texas Rangers Highlights
With Texas, Heim developed into the everyday catcher, peaking in 2023 with 18 home runs, 95 RBI, and his first Gold Glove Award. He was a driving force behind the Rangers’ run to the 2023 World Series title. His back-to-back walk-off home runs in 2021 and his grand slam off Ohtani in 2022 remain signature moments of his major league career.
Other Performances
Heim appeared in 13 games during his rookie season with Oakland in 2020, serving as a backup catcher. His minor league journey included a Carolina League All-Star selection in 2016 and a standout 2019 campaign in the Oakland system, where he batted .310 across Double-A and Triple-A.
Jonah Heim Family
Personal Life
Heim is married to his wife, Mackenzie, and the couple has three children. Their son Nash was born in January 2021, their daughter Luxx was born in April 2022, and their son Champ was born in June 2024. Heim has a tattoo of the Buffalo skyline on his arm, reflecting his deep connection to his hometown.
2025 Season Performance
Heim entered the 2025 season as the Texas Rangers’ starting catcher, continuing his role as a defensive leader behind the plate. Over 124 appearances, he batted .213 with 11 home runs and 43 RBI, providing steady defense and veteran presence in the Rangers’ lineup. His production trended below his 2023 peak, but he remained a fixture in the everyday catching rotation.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, the Rangers made a notable roster move. On November 21, 2025, Texas non-tendered Heim, making him a free agent. The decision marked the end of his tenure in Texas after five seasons and opened a new chapter in his career as he evaluates potential landing spots for the future.