Travis Jankowski Bio
Travis Paul Jankowski is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder. Born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, he is currently a first base coach for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Over a decade-long playing career that began in 2015, Jankowski suited up for the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays.
Known for elite speed and disciplined contact hitting, Jankowski built his identity as a base stealer and a versatile defender across all three outfield positions. He reached the highest peak of his career in 2023, helping the Rangers capture the franchise’s first World Series championship.
Early Life and Background
Travis Paul Jankowski was born on June 15, 1991, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His mother, Kelly, played softball, and his father, Paul, was an outfielder for Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Jankowski and his older brother, Tyler, were both coached by their father from a young age, building the foundation of a deeply baseball-focused upbringing.
Jankowski’s early training was rigorous, with weight sessions before school and team practice in the afternoon, plus basement batting practice into a net his father built. He grew up supporting the Philadelphia Phillies and was given the childhood nickname “Freddy” because of a fondness for Fred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The nickname stuck and has followed him through his professional career.
At Lancaster Catholic High School, Jankowski played outfield on the baseball team and wide receiver on the football team. He battled a series of injuries during high school, including a collarbone fracture, a concussion, and a sprained ankle. Despite those setbacks, his junior season featured a .471 batting average, 25 runs scored, 20 runs batted in, and 24 stolen bases, earning him Associated Press All-State First Team honors and helping Lancaster Catholic win a district championship.
Path to Professional Baseball
Following his 2009 graduation, Jankowski committed to Stony Brook University on a partial athletic scholarship. Standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 165 pounds, his slender frame was a better fit for baseball than football, and Stony Brook was the only NCAA Division I program to offer him a scholarship. He made his college debut in the second game of the Stony Brook 2010 season, collecting two hits against Akron and finishing his freshman year with a .262 average and 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
In 2011, Jankowski set a school record with 30 stolen bases in 34 attempts, was named to the All-America East First Team, and earned Cape Cod Baseball League Most Valuable Player honors. The summer following that sophomore year, he was invited back to the Bourne Braves and produced 14 runs batted in during the first half of the season alone.
Jankowski’s breakout came in 2012, when he led the nation in hits, runs scored, and triples. He served as Stony Brook’s leadoff hitter during their Cinderella run to the 2012 College World Series, scoring four hits in a 7–2 victory over LSU to take the Baton Rouge Super Regional. The Seawolves were eliminated 9–1 by UCLA in the College World Series opener. That June, the San Diego Padres selected Jankowski 44th overall in the supplemental first round, making him Stony Brook’s first-ever first-round MLB draft pick.
Travis Jankowski Career
Early Career (2012–2014)
After signing with the Padres for a $975,000 bonus, Jankowski was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona League Padres before being promoted to the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. In Fort Wayne, he produced a 17-game hitting streak that stretched to 23 games before a fractured rib sustained in the Midwest League championship series ended his season.
In 2013, Jankowski was named the Padres’ No. 21 prospect by Baseball America and opened the year with the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm. Through mid-August, his 71 stolen bases led all professional players in the United States, a total bettered internationally only by Freddy Guzmán. His season ended early after a sprained ankle suffered in a swimming pool. Limited by a fractured wrist and elbow in 2014, he appeared in only 46 minor league games that year.
San Diego Padres Breakthrough (2015–2019)
Jankowski made his major league debut on August 22, 2015, against the St. Louis Cardinals, singling in his first two at bats. He joined John Sipin and Wiki González as the third Padre in franchise history to record hits in his first two major league plate appearances, and he became the first Padre since Tony Gwynn to record two hits and an RBI in a debut. His first major league home run came on September 13, 2015, against the San Francisco Giants.
Jankowski opened 2016 on the Padres’ 25-man roster and eventually took over center field after Jon Jay’s fractured forearm. He stole home plate twice in August 2016, first benefiting from a Wil Myers rundown against the Milwaukee Brewers, then crossing the plate safely against the Pittsburgh Pirates. His 24-game hitting streak between July 31 and August 26 was the longest by a Padres rookie since Roberto Alomar in 1988. Jankowski led the Padres with 30 stolen bases that year.
A navicular bone fracture in 2017, an oblique-related stint in Triple-A to open 2018, and a fractured wrist in spring 2019 limited his playing time over the next three seasons. Still, in 2018, Jankowski became the leadoff hitter for San Diego, finished with a .259 average and 24 stolen bases, and on August 12 became the first Padre to steal four bases in a single game since Everth Cabrera in 2012. After batting .182 across only 25 games in 2019, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds following the season.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2020)
Jankowski was traded to the Reds on October 31, 2019, in exchange for international bonus slot cash. He made the Reds’ Opening Day roster in 2020, primarily as a pinch runner under the new extra-innings rule. In 16 games, he batted .067, with one hit and two stolen bases, before being optioned. He returned for the postseason and stole a base as a pinch runner in Game 1 of the 2020 National League Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves. Jankowski elected free agency on November 2, 2020.
Philadelphia Phillies Era (2021)
On February 15, 2021, Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and was promoted to the majors in late May after Roman Quinn ruptured his Achilles tendon. He debuted on June 4, 2021, against the Nationals, and gradually worked his way into a regular role. In 76 games for Philadelphia, he hit .252/.364/.351 with one home run, 10 runs batted in, and provided strong outfield defense before being outrighted off the 40-man roster and electing free agency on November 5, 2021.
New York Mets Era (2022)
Jankowski signed a minor league deal with the Mets on March 17, 2022, and made the Opening Day roster. In his first start on April 9, he stole two bases against the Nationals, and on April 15, he had a three-hit game in the Mets’ home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He broke his hand on May 25 making a diving catch against the Giants and was placed on the injured list. After being designated for assignment on July 29, Jankowski was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners on August 1, designated for assignment again on August 5, and elected free agency on August 9. He re-signed with the Mets on August 13, played 36 games for Triple-A Syracuse, and elected free agency after the season.
Texas Rangers Era (2023–2024)
Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the Rangers on January 27, 2023, and made the Opening Day roster. He hit his only regular-season home run on July 3, 2023, recording five runs batted in against the Houston Astros, and finished the year slashing .263/.357/.332 across 107 games, leading the Rangers with 19 stolen bases.
During the 2023 postseason, Jankowski replaced starting right fielder Adolis García in Game 3 of the World Series after García suffered an oblique injury. He started Game 4 on October 31, recording two hits, two runs batted in, and two runs scored, while making a sliding catch that helped the Rangers win 11–7. Jankowski started Game 5 in right field as the Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the franchise’s first World Series championship. On January 26, 2024, he re-signed on a one-year, $1.7 million contract. He hit a game-tying home run on Opening Day against the Cubs, stole his 100th career base on August 31, and on September 26 became the last player to bat at the Oakland Coliseum in a major league game.
Chicago White Sox Era (2025)
After signing with the Chicago Cubs on February 21, 2025, Jankowski was released on March 11 and signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox the next day. He made the White Sox Opening Day roster but appeared in only seven games, going 3-for-14, before being designated for assignment on April 6 and clearing waivers on April 8. He re-signed with the White Sox on a minor league contract the following day.
Tampa Bay Rays Era (2025)
On April 25, 2025, Jankowski was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, who selected his contract the following day. In 14 appearances for Tampa Bay, he batted .258/.294/.323 with two runs batted in and two stolen bases. He was removed from the 40-man roster on June 4 and elected free agency.
New York Mets Return (2025)
Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets on June 10, 2025. The Mets selected his contract on June 23, and he was designated for assignment on July 10 before clearing waivers and electing free agency on July 13.
Texas Rangers Coaching (2025)
On November 12, 2025, the Texas Rangers hired Jankowski to serve as the team’s first base coach, beginning a new chapter in his professional baseball career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jankowski built his offensive game on contact hitting and pitch discipline, dropping his chase rate to 13.8 percent in 2018, the lowest of his career. He has developed into an elite base stealer through detailed video study of opposing pitchers, using that preparation to decide when to attempt a steal. Padres manager Andy Green said in 2016 that Jankowski has more range than 99.9 percent of all outfielders in Major League Baseball, and Jankowski expanded his versatility by learning all three outfield positions.
Notable Events and Milestones
Jankowski’s signature postseason moment came in Game 4 of the 2023 World Series, when he started in place of the injured Adolis García and delivered two hits, two runs batted in, and a sliding catch as the Rangers closed in on the title. He also became the last player to bat at the Oakland Coliseum in a major league game on September 26, 2024, and stole his 100th career base on August 31, 2024.
Travis Jankowski Career Wins
Travis Jankowski’s biggest team triumph was the 2023 World Series championship with the Texas Rangers, the franchise’s first title in its history. He has notched signature team wins across multiple organizations, from the Padres’ 9–3 win over the Cardinals in his 2015 debut to the Rangers’ 11–7 Game 4 victory in the 2023 World Series. He has also reached the postseason with the Padres, Reds, and Rangers, adding postseason success to his overall resume.
MLB Highlights
Jankowski has played for eight different MLB organizations: the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays. He led the Padres with 30 stolen bases in 2016 and led the Rangers with 19 stolen bases in 2023. He also represented Team USA at the 2015 Pan American Games, where he took silver after a semifinal win over Cuba that included a key stolen base.
Other Wins and Performances
In 2012, Jankowski helped Stony Brook reach the College World Series, scoring four hits in a 7–2 upset of LSU to claim the Baton Rouge Super Regional. He was also inducted into the Stony Brook Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2025, recognizing his standout amateur and developmental league performances.
Travis Jankowski Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Jankowski grew up in a deeply baseball-oriented household in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His father, Paul, was an outfielder for Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and his mother, Kelly, played softball. His older brother, Tyler, also played baseball under the guidance of their father, who coached the brothers from a young age and built a batting net in the family basement for extra practice.
Personal Life
Travis Jankowski married his wife, Lindsey, on October 27, 2017. Padres teammates Cory Spangenberg and Colin Rea served as groomsmen at the wedding. The couple have two sons and one daughter, and they reside in Lancaster during the offseason. Jankowski has carried the nickname “Freddy” since his high school years, a nod to his childhood admiration for Fred Rogers, and he is still frequently recognized for his long blond hair and lean frame.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Travis Jankowski move through three different major league organizations. After being released by the Cubs in spring training, he made the White Sox Opening Day roster but was designated for assignment in early April following Mike Tauchman’s return from the injured list. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on April 25 and batted .258/.294/.323 across 14 games before electing free agency on June 4.
Jankowski re-signed with the New York Mets on June 10, 2025, and was added to the active roster on June 23. He appeared in eight major league games for the Mets before being designated for assignment on July 10 and clearing waivers three days later. Across his 2025 major league appearances with the White Sox, Rays, and Mets, Jankowski continued to deliver contact hitting and base-running value in limited at bats.
On November 12, 2025, the Texas Rangers announced that they had hired Jankowski to serve as the team’s first base coach, marking a transition from active player to coach and a continuation of his long-standing relationship with the Rangers organization that began in 2023.