Travis d’Arnaud Bio
Travis Emmanuel d’Arnaud is an American professional baseball catcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Atlanta Braves. D’Arnaud made his MLB debut in 2013 and has been recognized for his skills, winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2020 and being an All-Star in 2022. He was also a member of the 2021 World Series champions with the Braves.
Early Life and Background
Travis Emmanuel d’Arnaud was born on February 10, 1989, in Long Beach, California. He was raised in a musical household: his mother, Marita d’Arnaud, ran an after-school performing-arts center in Long Beach, while his father, Lance d’Arnaud, played trumpet, piano, and trombone. In his extended family, two of d’Arnaud’s uncles were pianists, and a cousin was an electropop musician. He is of partial Filipino descent on his mother’s side.
Beyond music, d’Arnaud described his Long Beach upbringing as having a “huge baseball community.” He was a childhood fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, and he modeled his catching career after Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza. As children, d’Arnaud and his older brother Chase often talked about how interesting it would be to play with or against each other in the big leagues. Chase went on to spend several years in MLB, and the brothers faced each other multiple times during their respective careers.
Rather than follow Chase to Los Alamitos High School, d’Arnaud chose to attend rival Lakewood High School. As a high school player in 2007, he drew attention from scouts and was invited to work out with the Toronto Blue Jays. He graduated in 2007 and was inducted into the Lakewood Youth Hall of Fame as a Co-Athlete of the Year in 2008. D’Arnaud had committed to play college baseball for the Pepperdine Waves, the same school Chase attended, before he was selected in the 2007 MLB Draft.
Path to Professional Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies selected d’Arnaud in the supplemental first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft as the 37th overall pick. He voided his college commitment and signed a minor league contract worth $832,500. In 2007, he began his professional career with the Phillies’ Gulf Coast League affiliate. He spent 2008 with the Williamsport Crosscutters and the Lakewood BlueClaws, earning a mid-season All-Star selection in the New York–Penn League.
On December 16, 2009, d’Arnaud was sent from the Phillies to the Toronto Blue Jays organization in a ten-player trade that sent Roy Halladay to Philadelphia. He spent time in the Blue Jays’ farm system with the Dunedin Blue Jays and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, steadily improving on both offense and defense. Baseball America named him the Best Defensive Catcher in the Eastern League for 2011, and he was the league’s Most Valuable Player that year. He was also selected to the IBAF 2011 Baseball World Cup roster and the 2012 All-Star Futures Game.
On December 17, 2012, the Blue Jays traded d’Arnaud, Noah Syndergaard, John Buck, and Wuilmer Becerra to the New York Mets for R. A. Dickey, Josh Thole, and Mike Nickeas. The trade positioned d’Arnaud as a key catching prospect within the Mets organization.
Travis d’Arnaud Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
The Mets optioned d’Arnaud to Triple-A Las Vegas 51s in March 2013. He suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left foot in April and worked his way back through rehab assignments. The Mets called him up on August 17, 2013, and he drew a four-pitch walk from Edinson Vólquez in his first major league plate appearance. He recorded his first MLB hit on August 20 against the Atlanta Braves’ Luis Ayala and his first home run on August 25 off Detroit’s Rick Porcello, prompting a curtain call from the home crowd. D’Arnaud finished his debut season appearing in 31 games, batting .202 with one home run and five RBIs.
In 2014, d’Arnaud solidified his role as the Mets’ starting catcher, appearing in 108 games. He tied for seventh place in the 2014 National League Rookie of the Year Award voting and led NL catchers with five passed balls. He followed that in 2015 with 67 games played, 12 home runs, and 41 RBIs, and he started all 14 of the Mets’ postseason games during their run to the 2015 World Series against the Kansas City Royals.
New York Mets Era (2013–2019)
From 2013 to 2019, d’Arnaud served as the primary catcher for the New York Mets. He battled several injuries during his Mets tenure, including a broken hand in 2015, a sprained left elbow, and a partial tear of the UCL in his right elbow in 2018 that required Tommy John surgery. He also navigated multiple stints on the disabled list, including a 10-day placement for a bruised right wrist in May 2017. On April 28, 2019, the Mets designated d’Arnaud for assignment, and the team released him on May 3, 2019.
His most prominent Mets moment came in 2015, when he started every game of the postseason run. In the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he drove in the winning run of the deciding fifth game. In the Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs, he batted .267 with two home runs, and he appeared in all five games of the World Series against the Kansas City Royals.
Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays (2019)
On May 5, 2019, d’Arnaud signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He appeared in one game for the Dodgers as a pinch hitter before being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on May 10, 2019, for cash considerations. With the Rays, he had a memorable stretch in July 2019, when he batted 3-for-3 with three home runs, including a go-ahead three-run shot off Aroldis Chapman at Yankee Stadium on July 15. He became the fifth player in Rays franchise history to hit three home runs in one game. On July 21, he hit his first career grand slam off Dylan Cease, leading Tampa Bay to a 4–2 win over the Chicago White Sox. In 2019, across the three teams, d’Arnaud batted .251/.312/.433 with 16 home runs and 69 RBIs.
Atlanta Braves Era (2020–2024)
On November 24, 2019, d’Arnaud signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Atlanta Braves. In the shortened 2020 season, he posted a breakout offensive line of .321/.386/.533 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 165 at-bats, earning his first Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive catcher in the National League. In 2021, he suffered a torn thumb ligament in May that required surgery, and he returned to action in August. He hit a solo home run in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series as the Braves won their first championship since 1995.
In 2022, d’Arnaud was named to the MLB All-Star Game as a reserve catcher, joining teammate William Contreras as the first pair of catchers from the same team to be named All-Stars since 1962. He finished the year batting .268/.319/.472 with 18 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a career-best 2.9 WAR. After the Braves acquired Sean Murphy before the 2023 season, d’Arnaud hit his 100th career home run on June 16, 2023, in a two-homer game against the Colorado Rockies. On April 19, 2024, he hit three home runs, including a grand slam, against the Texas Rangers, becoming the fourth Braves catcher with a three-homer game. On November 4, 2024, Atlanta declined his option for 2025, making him a free agent.
Los Angeles Angels Era (2024–Present)
On November 12, 2024, d’Arnaud signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, joining the team for the 2025 season. His deal runs through the 2026 campaign, when his salary is listed at $6,000,000. As a veteran catcher, he was expected to bring leadership and a right-handed power bat to the Angels’ lineup behind the plate.
Driving Style and Strengths
D’Arnaud is regarded as a contact-oriented hitter with above-average power for a catcher, particularly against left-handed pitching. He draws walks at a strong rate, posts competitive on-base percentages, and has been praised throughout his career for his receiving and game-calling behind the plate. His partnership with Atlanta’s pitching staff helped him reach his career-best 2.9 WAR in 2022, and his durability in handling a regular catching workload became a hallmark of his Braves tenure.
Notable Events and Milestones
D’Arnaud’s signature moments include his first MLB home run off Rick Porcello in 2013, his three-homer game for the Rays at Yankee Stadium in 2019, his solo home run in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series, and his three-homer, grand-slam performance for the Braves in 2024. He became one of only three catchers in MLB history to record multiple three-homer games, and he was the fourth Braves catcher ever to hit three home runs in a single game.
Travis d’Arnaud Career Wins
Travis d’Arnaud’s most important team victory came with the 2021 Atlanta Braves, who won the World Series for the first time since 1995. He also captured two minor league championships in the Toronto Blue Jays system, winning a ring with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2011 and a South Atlantic League title with the Lakewood BlueClaws in 2009.
Major League Highlights
In the majors, d’Arnaud earned a Silver Slugger Award in 2020, was named an All-Star in 2022, and won a World Series ring with the 2021 Braves. His first MLB win came as a member of the Mets in August 2013, and his most recent postseason win was a key 2021 World Series victory that clinched Atlanta’s title.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his major league accomplishments, d’Arnaud was a Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star in the Florida State League in 2010 and the Eastern League in 2011, when he was also named the EL’s Most Valuable Player. He played for the 2009 South Atlantic League champion Lakewood BlueClaws and the 2011 Eastern League champion New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Travis d’Arnaud Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Travis d’Arnaud is the son of Lance and Marita d’Arnaud. His older brother, Chase d’Arnaud, was a Major League Baseball player from 2011 to 2018, and the two brothers faced each other several times during their MLB careers. The d’Arnaud household blended music and baseball, with Lance playing several instruments and Marita running a performing-arts center in Long Beach.
Personal Life
In November 2017, Travis d’Arnaud married Britney Cobian at a location near Lake Tahoe. The couple welcomed a daughter in November 2018 and a son in August 2021. Another child was born in 2024, with d’Arnaud returning from the paternity list on September 12, 2024. He is of partial Filipino descent on his mother’s side.
2025 Season Performance
Travis d’Arnaud entered 2025 as the primary catcher for the Los Angeles Angels, signing a two-year, $12 million contract in November 2024. The deal positioned him as a veteran presence in a young Angels lineup, with a salary of $6,000,000 in 2025 and another $6,000,000 scheduled in 2026. His role was to steady the pitching staff and add right-handed thump behind the plate.
The 2025 campaign was framed as an opportunity for d’Arnaud to mentor the Angels’ emerging catchers while continuing to produce at the plate. Coming off a 2024 season in which he slashed .238/.302/.436 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs in 99 games for Atlanta, his production pace was viewed as a reasonable benchmark for the year. His track record of handling a full catching workload also gave the Angels a clear baseline for evaluating younger options behind him.
Heading into the 2025 playoffs, d’Arnaud’s combination of on-base skills, power against left-handed pitching, and postseason experience was expected to be a key storyline. The Angels’ outlook hinged on his ability to stay healthy and provide lineup protection in the middle of the batting order, while his veteran leadership shaped the staff’s preparation for high-leverage matchups.