J. T. Realmuto facts for kids

Quick facts for kids J. T. Realmuto
Realmuto with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 10
Catcher
Born: (1991-03-18) March 18, 1991 (age 34) Del City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
June 5, 2014, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics (through 2024 season)
Batting average	.272
Hits	1,237
Home runs	168
Runs batted in	625
Teams
Miami Marlins (2014–2018) Philadelphia Phillies (2019–present)
Career highlights and awards
3× All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021) 2× All-MLB First Team (2019, 2022) All-MLB Second Team (2020) 2× Gold Glove Award (2019, 2022) 3× Silver Slugger Award (2018, 2019, 2022)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  United States World Baseball Classic Silver 2023 Miami Team

J. T. Realmuto (born March 18, 1991) is an American professional baseball player. He is a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Phillies, he played for the Miami Marlins.

J. T. grew up in Del City, Oklahoma, in a very athletic family. He played many sports, helping his high school baseball and gridiron football teams win state championships. Even though he was a shortstop in high school, a scout from the Miami Marlins suggested he become a catcher. The Marlins picked him in the 2010 MLB Draft. J. T. chose to sign with them instead of playing college baseball at Oklahoma State. He spent several years playing in the Marlins' minor league system. There, he worked on his catching skills and built strong relationships with pitchers.

J. T. made his MLB debut in June 2014 when the main catcher got hurt. He played a few games in 2014. In 2015, he became the Marlins' starting catcher. His strength and speed, both as a catcher and a batter, helped him become an All-Star in 2018. That same year, he won his first Silver Slugger Award.

In 2019, the Marlins traded J. T. to the Phillies. He quickly earned his second All-Star and Silver Slugger awards. He also won his first Gold Glove Award for his great defense. After the 2020 season, J. T. became a free agent. His teammates and fans wanted him to stay. They even used the phrase "Sign J. T." to encourage the Phillies to re-sign him. In 2021, J. T. signed a five-year contract with the Phillies. It was the biggest contract ever for a catcher in MLB history.

Early Life and High School Sports

J. T. Realmuto was born on March 18, 1991, in Del City, Oklahoma. His family loved sports. His dad played college baseball. His older sisters were college softball catchers. His uncle, John Smith, won two Olympic gold medals in wrestling. J. T. played many sports as a kid. He started baseball at age five and wrestling at age six. He also played basketball and gridiron football.

From 2006 to 2010, J. T. played three sports at Carl Albert High School. He was the shortstop in baseball, the quarterback in football, and a power forward in basketball. Both his baseball and football teams won state championships. In his senior year (2010), J. T. set a national high school record. He had 119 runs batted in (RBIs) in one season. He also hit .595 with 21 home runs.

At the end of high school, the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) named J. T. their National Player of the Year. He also received All-American honors. He earned a scholarship for being a top student-athlete.

Journey Through Minor League Baseball

Realmuto with the Jupiter Hammerheads in 2012

Even though J. T. was a shortstop, he sometimes caught for his high school team. A scout for the Miami Marlins saw him catch. The scout told J. T. he had a better chance to play in MLB as a catcher. The Marlins drafted J. T. in the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He had planned to play college baseball at Oklahoma State. But he chose to sign with the Marlins for $700,000. He started his professional career in the Rookie Gulf Coast League.

In 2011, J. T. moved up to the Class A Greensboro Grasshoppers. He worked on his catching skills with an instructor. He played well, hitting .287 with 12 home runs. He was also very good at picking off players trying to steal bases. J. T. helped the Grasshoppers win a championship.

The next year, J. T. joined the Class A-Advanced Jupiter Hammerheads. He often caught for future MLB star pitcher José Fernández. J. T. was named an All-Star in the Florida State League. He continued to be good at throwing out base stealers.

In 2013, J. T. played for the Double A Jacksonville Suns. He worked on building strong relationships with his pitchers. His teammates liked how he made them feel comfortable. At the end of 2013, the Marlins added J. T. to their 40-man roster. This protected him from being picked by other teams.

J. T. started the 2014 season back in Double A. His hitting improved a lot. He focused on connecting with the Jacksonville pitchers. He was named the Marlins' Minor League Player of the Year. He also helped the Suns win the Southern League championship.

Major League Career Highlights

Starting with the Miami Marlins

2014-2015: First Steps in MLB

J. T. Realmuto first joined the major leagues on June 1, 2014. He was called up because the main catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, had a concussion. J. T. made his MLB debut on June 5. He had three RBIs in his first game. He played a few games before returning to the minor leagues. He was called up again briefly and then for the end of the 2014 season. He played in 11 MLB games that year.

Realmuto with the Marlins in 2015

In 2015, J. T. started the season in Triple A. But he was quickly called up to the Marlins. The main catcher was later moved off the team. J. T. then became the Marlins' starting catcher. He hit his first major league home run on May 18, 2015. He also had his first game with two home runs. One of them was an inside-the-park home run. This means he ran around all the bases before the ball was thrown back to the infield. J. T. had a great first full season. He set a Marlins rookie record with 114 hits. He was named the Marlins' Rookie of the Year.

2016-2017: Growing as a Player

After his rookie year, J. T. worked on his defensive skills. He improved at framing pitches, which helps get more called strikes. He continued to hit well in 2016. He even batted first in some games. He finished the season hitting .303 with 11 home runs.

In 2017, the Marlins thought about letting J. T. play other positions. But he stayed mostly at catcher. He had a strong start to the season, earning National League Player of the Week. He hit his second career inside-the-park home run. J. T. also got faster at throwing out base runners. He made the fastest recorded pickoff in MLB history. He finished 2017 with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs. He won the Jeff Conine Award for his dedication to the game.

2018: First All-Star Season

Realmuto and Wei-Yin Chen with the Marlins in 2018

J. T. started the 2018 season on the injured list with a back injury. He returned in April. He was one of the few experienced players left on the Marlins team. In 2018, J. T. was chosen for his first All-Star Game. He was the only Marlin picked that year. He finished the season hitting .277 with 21 home runs. He was named the Marlins' Most Valuable Player. He also won his first Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive catcher in the National League.

After the season, J. T. played in the MLB Japan All-Star Series.

Joining the Philadelphia Phillies

2019: A New Team and More Awards

Realmuto with the Phillies in 2019

In early 2019, J. T. told the Marlins he wanted to be traded. On February 7, 2019, the Marlins traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies. In return, the Marlins received catcher Jorge Alfaro and some pitching prospects. J. T. became the Phillies' starting catcher.

He was chosen for his second All-Star Game that year. He also had a career-high 25 home runs. He led all major league catchers in RBIs, runs, hits, and doubles. Defensively, he threw out 37 players trying to steal bases. This was the most by any Phillies catcher since 1993. J. T. also played the most innings of any catcher in 2019. In November, he won his first career Gold Glove Award for his excellent defense. A few days later, he won his second Silver Slugger Award. He was also named to the first-ever All-MLB First Team.

2020: The "Sign J. T." Campaign

Realmuto (right) catching for the Phillies in 2020

The 2020 MLB season was shortened to 60 games. The Phillies wanted to keep J. T. healthy. He had a great start to the season, hitting eight home runs in the first 14 games. He later missed 10 games with a hip injury. He finished the season with 11 home runs in 47 games.

J. T. was set to become a free agent after the 2020 season. Phillies fans and teammates started a campaign called "Sign J. T." They wanted the team to offer him a new contract. Star player Bryce Harper often yelled "sign him" to the team's management. Fans chanted "Sign J. T." outside the ballpark. On January 29, 2021, J. T. signed a five-year, $115.5 million contract with the Phillies. This was the largest contract ever for a major league catcher.

2021: Injuries and All-Star Return

J. T. fractured his thumb on the first day of spring training in 2021. He returned in March. He had another injury in May, missing 11 games with a bone bruise on his hand. On June 6, J. T. hit his 100th major league home run.

Despite some struggles, J. T. was named to the 2021 All-Star Game. This was his third All-Star selection in a row. He was named the starting catcher for the National League team. He hit a solo home run in the game. This was the first home run by a Phillies player in an All-Star game since 1981. J. T. finished the 2021 season with 17 home runs and 73 RBIs. He also led the National League in games played at catcher. He had the fastest sprint speed of all major league catchers.

2022: Postseason Heroics

Realmuto with the Phillies in 2022

In 2022, J. T. hit .276 with 22 home runs and 84 RBIs. He also stole 21 bases. In the playoffs, he made history. In Game 4 of the 2022 National League Division Series, he hit an inside-the-park home run. He was the first Phillies player and first catcher ever to do this in the postseason. In Game 1 of the 2022 World Series, J. T. hit a game-winning home run in the 10th inning. After the season, he won his third Silver Slugger and second Gold Glove award.

2023: Hitting for the Cycle

On June 12, 2023, J. T. hit for the cycle against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. He was the first Phillies player to do this since 2004.

2024: Knee Surgery

On June 11, 2024, the Phillies announced that J. T. would have surgery on his right knee. He was placed on the injured list.

Player Skills and Strengths

Many sports journalists, coaches, and teammates call J. T. Realmuto the "best catcher in baseball." Phillies manager Joe Girardi said this in 2020. Other catchers, like Yadier Molina, have also praised his skills. Phillies pitchers Zack Wheeler and Chase Anderson said that getting to pitch to J. T. was a reason they joined the team.

Defensively, J. T. is known for his speed and accuracy. In 2018, he had the fastest pop time in the league. This is the time it takes a catcher to get the ball and throw it to try and get a base runner out. He was also very good at throwing out base runners. He caught 44 percent of players trying to steal bases. He also had one of the strongest arms among catchers. J. T. is also good at blocking pitches, stopping almost all potential wild pitches.

Offensively, J. T. is also very successful. His batting average and slugging percentage are usually much higher than the average for MLB catchers. He hits the ball harder and higher. He also has a faster sprint speed than most MLB players. His speed is usually around 28.6 to 28.8 feet per second. The average for catchers is about 25 feet per second.

As J. T. gets older, the Phillies focus on keeping him healthy. Many catchers start to slow down around age 30. J. T. does daily weight training in the offseason to stay strong.

Awards and Honors

Personal Life

J. T. Realmuto is of Italian background. He married Alexis Taylor on November 4, 2017. They have four children: two daughters born in 2018 and 2019, and two sons born in 2021 and 2023.

During the baseball season, the Realmuto family lives in Haddonfield, New Jersey. In the offseason, they have a home in Oklahoma City. J. T. and his wife are Christians.

J. T. and his family are good friends with Phillies teammate Bryce Harper. J. T. is also friends with Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich. They were both drafted by the Marlins in the same year.

In 2019, J. T. and pitcher Aaron Nola helped with Garth Brooks' "Home Plate Project." This group works to fight childhood hunger.