Joey Gerber Bio
Joseph Cliff Gerber, known professionally as Joey Gerber, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). The right-handed reliever made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Seattle Mariners and has since pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays before joining the Mets organization. He has built his career primarily as a relief pitcher working out of the bullpen at multiple levels of professional baseball.
Born on May 3, 1997, Gerber grew up in Minnesota and developed into a draft-eligible prospect after three seasons of college baseball. He has continued his professional career despite injury setbacks, most notably a back procedure in 2021, and has remained active in affiliated baseball into the mid-2020s.
Early Life and Background
Joey Gerber grew up in the Plymouth, Minnesota area and attended Wayzata High School, from which he graduated in 2015. He came from a region with a strong baseball tradition and developed his skills as a pitcher during his high school years. Coming out of high school, he was not selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.
After going undrafted in 2015, Gerber enrolled at the University of Illinois, where he joined the Fighting Illini baseball program. His college career offered the structure and competition he needed to refine his abilities on the mound and put himself back on the professional radar.
Path to Baseball
Gerber’s collegiate path began slowly. As a freshman at Illinois in 2016, he pitched only six innings and compiled a 7.50 ERA, a modest start to his Division I career. He showed steady improvement during his sophomore season in 2017, going 2–1 with a 4.36 ERA across 33 relief innings while striking out 43 batters. That summer, he gained additional experience playing collegiate summer baseball with the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League.
His junior season in 2018 marked a clear breakthrough. Working primarily as a reliever, Gerber went 1–1 with a 3.14 ERA in 28 and two-thirds relief innings and recorded 14 saves, tying the Illinois single-season record. His performance earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten Third Team and convinced the Seattle Mariners to select him in the eighth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, with the 238th overall pick.
Joey Gerber Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
After signing with Seattle, Gerber made his professional debut with the Everett AquaSox of the Low-A Northwest League. He was promoted in July to the Clinton LumberKings of the Single-A Midwest League. Across 23 and two-thirds relief innings between the two clubs, he went 1–0 with a 2.10 ERA and 43 strikeouts, a strong showing for his first professional season.
Gerber opened 2019 with the Modesto Nuts of the High-A California League and earned All-Star recognition. He was promoted in June to the Arkansas Travelers of the Double-A Texas League and finished the year there. In 48 and two-thirds relief innings between the two levels, he posted a 1–4 record with a 2.59 ERA, 69 strikeouts, and a .215 batting average against.
Seattle Mariners Era (2020–2022)
Gerber reached the majors on August 4, 2020, debuting against the Los Angeles Angels and pitching one scoreless inning. In the shortened 2020 season, he went 1–1 with a 4.02 ERA and six strikeouts over 15 and two-thirds innings for the Mariners. He began 2021 on the injured list and underwent back surgery in July, which forced him to miss the entire season.
The injury carried over into 2022, causing Gerber to miss the start of the year. On June 18, 2022, the Mariners designated him for assignment, and he was released on June 22. A brief window followed when he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on July 25, 2022, beginning a stretch of time spent outside the major leagues.
New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays (2022–2025)
After his release by Seattle, Gerber signed with the New York Yankees organization in July 2022. He spent time working his way back from injury and returned to game action in June 2024 with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Yankees. Over 26 appearances split among the FCL Yankees, Single-A Tampa Tarpons, Double-A Somerset Patriots, and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, he went 2–1 with a 2.43 ERA and 40 strikeouts across 33 and two-thirds innings. He elected free agency on November 4, 2024.
On December 18, 2024, Gerber signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster on July 17, 2025, and optioned him to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. In two appearances for Tampa Bay, he posted a 2.08 ERA with four strikeouts across 4 and one-third innings before being designated for assignment on November 3, 2025.
New York Mets Era (2025–Present)
On November 4, 2025, the Tampa Bay Rays traded Gerber to the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations. He was optioned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets to begin the 2026 season. Through his early time in the Mets organization, he has continued to work as a relief pitcher.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gerber has spent nearly his entire professional career working as a reliever rather than a starter. His minor league track record shows strong strikeout rates, including a 43-to-23 and two-thirds inning debut season in 2018 and a 69-strikeout campaign in 2019. His short bursts of work out of the bullpen have been paired with the ability to generate swings and misses.
Notable Events and Milestones
His major league debut on August 4, 2020, against the Los Angeles Angels marked the realization of a path that began as an undrafted high school arm. Tying the Illinois single-season saves record with 14 in 2018 was his signature collegiate milestone, and his late-2025 trade to the Mets positioned him for a fresh start in a new organization.
Joey Gerber Career Wins
Joey Gerber has accumulated a modest but steady professional record across multiple levels of affiliated baseball. His major league win total sits at one through his time in the majors, with the bulk of his victories coming during his minor league assignments.
Minor League and MLB Highlights
In the minors, Gerber has stacked productive seasons, including a 1–0 debut with the Everett AquaSox and Clinton LumberKings in 2018 and a 2–1 record across four affiliates in 2024. His MLB debut produced his first major league win during the 2020 season with the Mariners, and his brief 2025 stint with the Rays resulted in two scoreless appearances. He has notched All-Star recognition with the Modesto Nuts and a spot on the All-Big Ten Third Team at Illinois.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his MLB innings, Gerber has posted strong numbers at every minor league level, with ERAs under 3.00 in several seasons. His college career concluded with All-Big Ten honors and a single-season saves record at Illinois, the foundation for his professional resume.
Joey Gerber Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Joey Gerber’s parents and immediate family members is limited, with no verified details on record through the available sources.
Personal Life
There are no widely confirmed details about a spouse, children, or current residence for Joey Gerber in the available sources. He continues to focus on his baseball career as a professional pitcher.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a return to the major leagues for Joey Gerber. After spending most of the previous two years in the Yankees’ minor league system, he joined the Tampa Bay Rays on a minor league contract in December 2024 and earned a spot on the 40-man roster in July 2025. In two appearances with Tampa Bay, he delivered a 2.08 ERA with four strikeouts across 4 and one-third innings, an efficient showing in limited opportunities.
His time with the Rays concluded when he was designated for assignment on November 3, 2025. One day later, the Rays traded him to the New York Mets for cash considerations, opening a new chapter with the Mets organization. He was optioned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets to open 2026, putting him in line to compete for a bullpen role in Queens.
With the Mets, Gerber enters 2026 looking to establish himself as a reliable relief option at the major league level. His minor league consistency and recent major league innings suggest he is healthy and capable of contributing out of the bullpen if called upon.
