Terrin Vavra Bio
Terrin Thomas Vavra (born May 12, 1997) is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, and has spent time at multiple levels of professional baseball since being drafted in 2018. A versatile player capable of handling both middle-infield duties and the outfield, Vavra is recognized for his offensive consistency in the minor leagues and a brief but memorable MLB debut season with the Orioles in 2022.
Born and raised in Menomonie, Wisconsin, Vavra developed his baseball skills alongside ice hockey during his youth and went on to play college baseball at the University of Minnesota. His path through professional baseball has included stints in the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles organizations, as well as a brief waiver claim by the Seattle Mariners. He continues to pursue an MLB opportunity as a free agent.
Early Life and Background
Terrin Thomas Vavra was born on May 12, 1997, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. He grew up in the same small Midwestern city where he later attended high school, and his early sporting life revolved around both baseball and ice hockey. That dual-sport background helped shape his athletic profile and approach to the game.
Vavra is the son of Joe Vavra, a professional baseball coach, which gave him an early connection to the sport and an understanding of the game’s strategic side. The family environment, combined with Wisconsin’s strong baseball culture, helped him develop the fundamentals that he would later showcase in high school competition.
Path to Baseball
Vavra attended Menomonie High School in Menomonie, Wisconsin, where he played both baseball and ice hockey. In 2015, his senior year, he earned All-State honors in baseball, marking him as one of the top amateur players in the state. That recognition drew attention from college programs and set the stage for his next step in the sport.
After going undrafted in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, Vavra enrolled at the University of Minnesota to play college baseball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. In 2016, his freshman year, he appeared in 32 games, batting .358 with one home run and twenty RBIs, though he missed time due to a back injury. As a sophomore in 2017, he played in fifty games, hitting .308 with two home runs and 19 RBIs, and that summer played in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Cotuit Kettleers.
In 2018, his junior season at Minnesota, Vavra became a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection and earned First Team All-American honors. Over 58 starts that year he slashed .386/.455/.614 with ten home runs and 59 RBIs, finishing as one of the most productive hitters in the Big Ten Conference and securing his place as a top draft prospect.
Terrin Vavra Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Following his strong junior season at Minnesota, the Colorado Rockies selected Vavra in the third round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with Colorado and made his professional debut that summer with the Boise Hawks of the Low-A Northwest League. Over 44 games with Boise he batted .302 with four home runs and 26 RBIs and was named an All-Star.
Vavra spent the 2019 season with the Asheville Tourists of the Single-A South Atlantic League, where he earned All-Star honors and was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Month for June after hitting .350. Over 102 games he slashed .318/.409/.489 with ten home runs, 52 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases, earning the South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player award for the year.
Baltimore Orioles Debut (2020–2023)
On August 30, 2020, the Rockies traded Vavra, Tyler Nevin, and a player to be named later to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Mychal Givens. Vavra did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2021 season he was assigned to the Bowie Baysox of the Double-A Northeast, where a back injury limited him to 40 games and a .248 average with five home runs and 20 RBI.
On November 19, 2021, the Orioles selected Vavra’s contract and added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He began the 2022 season with the Norfolk Tides of the Triple-A International League, where a hamstring strain briefly interrupted his play. On July 26, 2022, the Orioles promoted Vavra to the major leagues for the first time, and he made his MLB debut on July 29. On August 1, he recorded his first career hit, an infield single off Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray. On October 5, 2022, the final day of the season, Vavra hit a three-run home run off Mitch White for his first career home run, propelling the Orioles to a 5–4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
In 2023, Vavra played in 27 games for the Orioles, batting .245/.315/.245 with five RBI. A right shoulder strain suffered while playing for Triple-A Norfolk in mid-June ended his season and required extended rehabilitation and testing, with the Orioles eventually transferring him to the 60-day injured list. On November 14, 2023, Vavra was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Norfolk Tides.
Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles (2024)
Vavra began the 2024 season with Norfolk, hitting .269 with two home runs and 19 RBI across 31 games. On July 30, 2024, the Orioles selected his contract and added him to their active roster, but he was designated for assignment without appearing in the majors for Baltimore on August 21, 2024. On August 23, 2024, he was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners, and in three games for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers he went 2-for-11 with two RBI before being designated for assignment by Seattle on August 31. He cleared waivers and elected free agency on September 5, 2024.
On September 7, 2024, Vavra signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization and spent the remainder of the year with the Norfolk Tides. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.
Baltimore Orioles Second Stint (2025)
On February 5, 2025, Vavra re-signed with the Orioles organization on a new minor league contract. In 22 appearances for Triple-A Norfolk he batted .317/.388/.450 with one home run, seven RBI, and three stolen bases. On May 24, 2025, the Orioles selected his contract and added him to their active roster, though he was designated for assignment the following day without appearing in a major league game.
After clearing waivers, Vavra was sent outright to Norfolk on May 28, 2025. On August 1, 2025, the Orioles added him back to their active roster; he appeared in one game, going 0-for-1 and playing two innings at second base without fielding a ball, before being designated for assignment again on August 3. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk on August 5, 2025, and elected free agency on September 29, 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Vavra’s signature moments, his first career MLB home run on October 5, 2022, off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mitch White stands out, as the three-run shot sealed a 5–4 win for Baltimore on the final day of the season. His debut season also produced his first MLB hit, an infield single off Jon Gray, just two days after his call-up. Earlier in his career, he earned South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player honors in 2019 after a season in which he hit .318 with 18 stolen bases.
Terrin Vavra Career Wins
Vavra’s verified accolades include league Most Valuable Player recognition, multiple All-Star selections, and All-American honors at the collegiate level, rather than race or event wins typical of other sports. His amateur career was highlighted by 2018 First Team All-American and unanimous All-Big Ten First Team honors at the University of Minnesota, while his early professional years produced Northwest League All-Star and South Atlantic League All-Star selections.
Minor League and Collegiate Highlights
Across his minor league career, Vavra earned All-Star nods with the Boise Hawks in 2018 and the Asheville Tourists in 2019, and was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Month for June 2019. His 2019 Asheville campaign ended with him being named South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player after slashing .318/.409/.489 with 18 stolen bases over 102 games.
Terrin Vavra Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Vavra’s connection to professional baseball runs through his father, Joe Vavra, who has worked as a professional baseball coach. That family link to the sport provided Terrin Vavra with an insider’s understanding of the game’s demands from an early age.
Personal Life
Terrin Vavra is married to Carlie Vavra. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in August 2022, the same summer that Vavra made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles.
2025 Season Performance
Vavra entered the 2025 season on a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization, returning to the Norfolk Tides of the Triple-A International League. In 22 appearances for Norfolk he batted .317/.388/.450 with one home run, seven RBI, and three stolen bases, producing his most consistent offensive line of recent seasons.
His major league opportunities in 2025 were brief and involved multiple transactions between the active roster and Triple-A. The Orioles selected his contract on May 24 and again on August 1, but Vavra was designated for assignment without a substantial MLB role on both occasions, appearing in only one game during the year, going 0-for-1 while playing two innings at second base on August 1. He cleared waivers and returned to Norfolk each time before electing free agency on September 29, 2025.
Looking ahead, Vavra’s outlook remains that of a free agent seeking another MLB opportunity. His 2025 Triple-A production suggests continued offensive capability, while his experience at second base and in the outfield offers teams a versatile depth option. Whether he returns to the Orioles or signs elsewhere will shape his next chapter as a free agent.