Travis Allan Blankenhorn (born August 3, 1996) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

second baseman In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...

in the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

organization. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...

, and

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...

Amateur career

Blankenhorn attended

Pottsville Area High School Pottsville Area High School is a coeducational public high school located in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pottsville Area School District and is the largest public high school in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County. ...

Pottsville, Pennsylvania Pottsville is a city and the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,346 at the 2020 census, and is the principal city of the Pottsville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies along the wes ...

. Blankenhorn was a three sport standout high school athlete in football, basketball in baseball. He committed to play

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

at the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

. He was drafted by the

in the third round of the

2015 Major League Baseball draft The 2015 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 8 through June 10, 2015, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2014 MLB season standings. As the Diamondbacks finished the 2014 season ...

Professional career

Minnesota Twins

After signing, Blankenhorn made his professional debut with the

Gulf Coast League Twins The Florida Complex League Twins are the Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays in Fort Myers, Florida, at the Lee County Sports Complex. Prior to 2021, the ...

and he was later promoted to the

Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their Major League Baseball, major league aff ...

. He posted a combined .244 batting average with three home runs and 23 RBIs in 53 games between both clubs. Blankenhorn spent 2016 with both Elizabethon and the

Cedar Rapids Kernels The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids), Veter ...

where he batted a combined .293 with ten home runs and 41 RBIs in 59 games with both teams. In 2017, he returned to Cedar Rapids, slashing .251/.343/.441 with 13 home runs and 69 RBIs in 118 games, earning

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

All-Star honors. Blankenhorn spent 2018 with the

Fort Myers Miracle The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Fort Myers, Florida, and play their home games at the Lee County Sports Complex at ...

. In June, he was named a

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

All-Star and won the Home Run Derby with 31 home runs. In 124 games with Fort Myers, he hit .231 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs. He returned to Fort Myers to begin the 2019 season before being promoted to the

Pensacola Blue Wahoos The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League (1964–present), Southern League and the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are based in Pensacola, Florida, and play their home ga ...

with whom he was named to the

Southern League All-Star Game The Southern League All-Star Game was an annual baseball game sanctioned by Minor League Baseball between professional players from the teams of the Double-A Southern League. Each division, North and South, fielded a team composed of players in t ...

. Over 108 games between the two clubs, he slashed .277/.321/.466 with 19 home runs and 54 RBIs. Blankenhorn was named the second baseman of the year in the Southern League at the conclusion of the season. Blankenhorn was added to the Twins

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

on November 20, 2019, in order to be protected from the

Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

. On September 14, 2020, Blankenhorn was promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his major league debut the next day against the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

, and picked up his first major league hit off of Matt Foster. Blankenhorn only appeared in 1 game for the Twins in 2021. On May 8, 2021, Blankenhorn was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

by Minnesota.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On May 14, 2021, Blankenhorn was claimed off waivers by the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

. In 3 at-bats for the Triple-A

Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Comets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their ho ...

, he went hitless. He was designated for assignment on May 21.

Seattle Mariners

On May 24, 2021, Blankenhorn was claimed off waivers by the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

and assigned to the Triple-A

Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, ...

. In 20 at-bats for Tacoma, Blankenhorn notched 5 hits with 1 home run and 5 RBI.

New York Mets

On June 1, 2021, Blankenhorn was claimed off waivers by the

. He made his debut the following day, coming in as a defensive substitute for Jonathan Villar. On June 11, he was optioned to the Triple-A

Syracuse Mets The Syracuse Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Syracuse, New York, and play their home games at NBT Bank Stadium, which ope ...

. On July 17, Blankenhorn recorded his first career RBI and scored his first run. On July 18, in a game against the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

, Blankenhorn hit his first career home run, a 425-foot, 3-run shot off of pitcher

J. T. Brubaker Jonathan Trey Brubaker (born November 17, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Brubaker played college baseball for ...

. He appeared in 23 total games for the Mets in 2021, batting .174/.208/.391 with a home run and 4 RBI. Blankenhorn was designated for assignment on April 5, 2022, after the Mets signed

John Curtiss John Curtiss may refer to: * John Curtiss (Royal Air Force officer) * John Curtiss (baseball), American baseball pitcher * John Shelton Curtiss, American historian of Russia See also * John Curtis (disambiguation) John Curtis (born 1960) is an Am ...

. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse on April 8. On July 22, Blankenhorn's contract was selected by the Mets. He was designated for assignment on July 23, and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse on July 25. He elected free agency following the season on November 10.

Washington Nationals

On December 14, 2022, Blankenhorn signed a minor league contract with the

. He began the 2023 season with the Triple–A

Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Fie ...

, playing in 108 games and batting .262/.360/.517 with 23 home runs and 75 RBI. On September 1, 2023, Blankenhorn was selected to the major league roster. In 10 games for Washington, he batted .161/.297/.258 with one home run and one RBI. On October 5, Blankenhorn was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Rochester. However, two days later Blankenhorn rejected the outright assignment and elected free agency. On December 22, 2023, Blakenhorn re-signed with the Nationals on a minor league contract. In 94 games for Triple–A Rochester, he batted .247/.328/.518 with 24 home runs and 69 RBI. On July 30, 2024, the Nationals selected Blankenhorn's contract, adding him to their active roster. In 13 games for the Nationals, he slashed .129/.156/.161 with no home runs and five RBI. Blankenhorn was designated for assignment by Washington on September 6. He cleared waivers and elected free agency on September 9.

Los Angeles Angels

On February 13, 2025, Blankenhorn signed with the

Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos The Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (English: Two Laredos Owls), formerly known as the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (English: Nuevo Laredo Owls), are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The Tecolotes are a binational baseball team, spli ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. However, on March 6, Blankenhorn signed a minor league contract with the

organization.

Personal life

Blankenhorn and his wife, Maci, married in 2020. He has one child.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blankenhorn, Travis 1996 births Living people Arizona Complex League Angels players Baseball players from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Cedar Rapids Kernels players Elizabethton Twins players Fort Myers Miracle players Gulf Coast Twins players Major League Baseball second basemen Minnesota Twins players New York Mets players Oklahoma City Dodgers players Pensacola Blue Wahoos players Rochester Red Wings players Rocket City Trash Pandas players Salt River Rafters players Sportspeople from Pottsville, Pennsylvania St. Paul Saints players Syracuse Mets players Tacoma Rainiers players Washington Nationals players 21st-century American sportsmen