Reed Garrett Bio
Reed Garrett (born January 2, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed relief pitcher, Garrett has also played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Baltimore Orioles, and spent time in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Saitama Seibu Lions. He made his MLB debut in 2019 and has built his career as a hard-throwing bullpen arm who has bounced between organizations while gradually establishing himself at the highest level.
Early Life and Background
Reed Garrett was born on January 2, 1993, in Richmond, Virginia, United States. He grew up in the Richmond area and attended Mills E. Godwin High School, where he developed as a baseball prospect. His upbringing in Virginia, a state with a long baseball tradition, helped shape his early interest in the sport and gave him a steady foundation as he moved toward competitive play.
After finishing high school, Garrett enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute, where he played college baseball for the Keydets from 2012 through 2014. The disciplined environment of a military college complemented his development as a pitcher, and his three seasons with the VMI program prepared him for the jump into professional baseball.
Path to Professional Baseball
Garrett’s path to the pros began when the Texas Rangers selected him in the 16th round, 486th overall, of the 2014 MLB draft. He spent his professional debut season that year with the Spokane Indians of the Low-A Northwest League, going 6-1 with a 4.06 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 57.2 innings over 16 games, including nine starts. The strong start signaled that the Rangers had found a workable arm in the later rounds.
Over the next two seasons, Garrett moved through the Texas organization. In 2015, he split time between the Hickory Crawdads of the Single-A South Atlantic League and the High Desert Mavericks of the High-A California League, combining for a 10-8 record with a 4.58 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 139.2 innings across 25 starts. The following year, he bounced among High Desert, the Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, and the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, going 4-9 with a 6.24 ERA across 29 games. After the 2016 regular season, he pitched for the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League, posting a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings, a late-season showcase that hinted at his eventual shift to the bullpen.
Reed Garrett Career
Early Career (2014-2018)
Garrett spent 2017 with Frisco, where he posted a 2-5 record with a 4.98 ERA, 70 strikeouts, and 68.2 innings pitched across 44 games and only four starts. The increased relief workload foreshadowed his long-term role. In 2018, he became a full-time relief pitcher and split the season between Frisco and Round Rock, combining for a 4-2 record with a 2.04 ERA, 61 strikeouts, and 61.2 innings over 51 games, his most effective minor league campaign to that point. Following the 2018 regular season, he pitched in winter ball for the Naranjeros de Hermosillo of the Mexican Pacific League, appearing in four games.
That offseason, Garrett was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the fifth pick in the 2018 Rule 5 draft. On March 27, 2019, the Tigers announced that he had made the Opening Day roster. He made his major league debut on March 29 against the Toronto Blue Jays, recording one strikeout over one inning of relief. He was designated for assignment on May 16 after going 0-0 with an 8.22 ERA over 15 innings, ending his first MLB stint.
Detroit Tigers Era (2019)
After being returned to the Texas Rangers organization on May 20, 2019, Garrett was assigned to the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for the remainder of the season. He went 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA across 40 innings in Triple-A, working to regain form after his brief major league debut with the Tigers.
Saitama Seibu Lions Era (2020-2021)
On December 24, 2019, Garrett signed with the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball. He made his NPB debut on June 19, 2020, and became a free agent on December 2 of that year. He re-signed with the Lions on December 29 for the 2021 season, then became a free agent again following that campaign, completing his two-season run in Japan.
Washington Nationals Era (2022)
On February 23, 2022, Garrett signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals and was assigned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. On June 14, 2022, he was selected to the 40-man roster and added to the active roster. In seven appearances for Washington, he logged a 6.75 ERA with six strikeouts across 9.1 innings. He was designated for assignment on December 22 following the waiver claim of Jeter Downs. On January 5, 2023, Garrett was sent outright to Triple-A, but he rejected the assignment and elected free agency the following day.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2023)
On January 19, 2023, Garrett signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He impressed at Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 1.59 ERA with 27 strikeouts and three saves across 22.2 innings in 19 appearances. On June 14, his contract was selected to the major league roster after Austin Voth was placed on the injured list. He appeared in two games for Baltimore, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk in 2.2 innings, before being designated for assignment on June 18 following the promotion of José Godoy.
New York Mets Era (2023-Present)
On June 25, 2023, Garrett was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets. In nine games for the Mets that season, he posted a 5.82 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 17 innings pitched. He was optioned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets to begin the 2024 season, but was recalled on April 1. Between April 4 and May 19, he went 5-0 with two saves, four holds, two earned runs, and 41 strikeouts, though his performance declined after that stretch before improving in late August and September. In 53 games for the Mets in 2024, Garrett posted a 3.77 ERA and 83 strikeouts across 57.1 innings pitched, setting a new career high.
Notable Events and Milestones
On October 9, 2025, Garrett underwent Tommy John surgery, ruling him out for the 2026 season. He had first been diagnosed with elbow inflammation in August 2025, and the procedure marked a major setback in his bullpen trajectory with the Mets.
Reed Garrett Family
Personal Life
Public information about Reed Garrett’s personal and family life is limited. He was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, and is a United States citizen. Beyond his background in Virginia and his education at the Virginia Military Institute, few additional personal details have been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Reed Garrett’s 2025 campaign with the New York Mets was disrupted by an elbow issue that ultimately required surgery. He was first diagnosed with elbow inflammation in August 2025, a stretch that interrupted what had been a productive run in the Mets’ bullpen after his career-best 2024 season. He had been a reliable late-inning option for manager Carlos Mendoza, leaning on a strikeout-heavy profile that fit the back end of New York’s relief corps.
On October 9, 2025, Garrett underwent Tommy John surgery, a procedure that will keep him sidelined for the entire 2026 season. The operation ended his 2025 campaign earlier than hoped and placed his recovery timeline squarely on the 2027 season. The Mets are expected to monitor his rehabilitation closely, given his importance to their bullpen depth.
Looking back, Garrett’s 2025 storyline was one of resilience interrupted. After posting a 3.77 ERA with 83 strikeouts across 57.1 innings in 2024, he entered 2025 with momentum and a defined role, only to be slowed by arm trouble. His long-term outlook remains positive once he completes rehabilitation, and the Mets continue to view him as a core piece of their relief pitching plans once he returns to full health.