Jose Trevino Bio
Jose Ramón Trevino, born on November 28, 1992, in Corpus Christi, Texas, is an American professional baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Texas Rangers selected Trevino in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB draft out of Oral Roberts University, and he made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2018.
Trevino established himself as one of the top defensive catchers in the American League during his time with the New York Yankees. He was named an All-Star in 2022 and won the Gold Glove Award, Fielding Bible Award, and Platinum Glove Award that same season. He now plays for the Cincinnati Reds after a December 2024 trade from New York.
Early Life and Background
Jose Ramón Trevino was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he attended St. John Paul II High School. Coming out of high school, he went undrafted in the MLB draft, which motivated him to continue developing his game at the collegiate level. His upbringing in South Texas, a region with a strong baseball culture, helped shape his early interest in the sport.
Trevino’s father, Joe “Bugé” Trevino, passed away during Jose’s junior year at Oral Roberts University, a difficult personal moment that occurred as he was working toward his professional career. Despite the loss, Trevino continued to pursue his baseball path and remained focused on reaching the major leagues.
Path to Major League Baseball
After high school, Trevino enrolled at Oral Roberts University, where he played college baseball for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. He spent his summers sharpening his skills in prestigious collegiate wooden-bat leagues, playing for the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League in 2012 and the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2013. These experiences helped him refine his approach against high-level amateur pitching.
His performance at Oral Roberts and in summer leagues caught the attention of major league scouts, and the Texas Rangers selected him in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB draft. The Rangers saw him as a defensive-minded catcher with a strong arm and a compact swing, projecting him as a future big-league backstop. Trevino began his professional journey in the low minors, working his way up through the Rangers’ farm system.
Jose Trevino Career
Early Career (2014–2017)
Trevino made his professional debut in 2014 with the Spokane Indians of the Low-A Northwest League, where he hit .257 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs while splitting time between catcher, third base, and second base. In 2015, he played for the Hickory Crawdads of the Single-A South Atlantic League, batting .262 with 14 home runs and 63 RBIs, and transitioned into a full-time catcher role. After the 2015 season, he joined the Arizona Fall League to gain additional experience against advanced competition.
In 2016, Trevino played for the High Desert Mavericks of the High-A California League and earned a minor league Gold Glove Award for his work behind the plate. He hit .303 that season with nine home runs and 68 RBIs, and returned to the Arizona Fall League for a second straight year. The following season, he advanced to Double-A with the Frisco RoughRiders, hitting .241 with seven home runs, and was added to the Rangers’ 40-man roster after the 2017 campaign. He also earned the MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove Award for catchers in both 2016 and 2017.
Texas Rangers Breakthrough (2018–2021)
Trevino made his major league debut on June 15, 2018, against the Colorado Rockies. He wasted little time making an impression, recording his first major league hit, an RBI single, the very next day. On June 17, 2018, he delivered his first career walk-off hit, a two-run single off Wade Davis, capping an early surge of memorable moments. His rookie season was cut short when he underwent season-ending surgery on his left shoulder in July 2018.
Over the following seasons, Trevino continued to develop in a part-time role with the Rangers. In 2019, he split time between Triple-A Nashville and Texas, finishing the year hitting .258 with two home runs and 13 RBIs over 40 big-league games. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he appeared in 24 games and hit .250, and in 2021 he played 89 games, batting .239 with five home runs. By the end of the 2021 season, the Rangers opted to trade him, opening the door for a new chapter in New York.
New York Yankees Era (2022–2024)
On April 2, 2022, the Rangers traded Trevino to the New York Yankees in exchange for Albert Abreu and Robby Ahlstrom. He quickly supplanted Kyle Higashioka as the Yankees’ starting catcher and was named an American League All-Star reserve in his first season in the Bronx. He batted .248 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 2022, providing steady defense and clutch at-bats throughout the year.
Defensively, Trevino was one of the best players in baseball in 2022, winning the Fielding Bible Award, the Gold Glove Award, and the Platinum Glove Award. He became the first Yankee and the first American League catcher ever to win the Platinum Glove Award, recognizing him as the top defensive player at his position. In 2023, he agreed to a $2.36 million salary but was limited to 55 games before undergoing season-ending wrist surgery in July. He returned in 2024, playing 74 games and batting .215 with eight home runs before the Yankees traded him to Cincinnati in December.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2025–Present)
On December 20, 2024, the Yankees traded Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Fernando Cruz and Alex Jackson. The move gave Trevino a fresh opportunity in the National League, where he was expected to bring veteran leadership and Gold Glove-caliber defense to a young Reds catching corps. On March 20, 2025, he agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $14.925 million, locking him in with Cincinnati through the 2028 season.
In his first season with the Reds, Trevino continued to contribute in unique ways, including a memorable appearance as a pitcher on June 30, 2025, against the Boston Red Sox, where he recorded his first career pitching strikeout against Marcelo Mayer. He has served as a steady veteran presence behind the plate, mentoring younger pitchers and providing contact at-bats in the lower part of Cincinnati’s lineup.
Notable Events and Milestones
Trevino’s most defining moment came in 2022, when he became the first American League catcher and the first New York Yankee to win the Platinum Glove Award. His walk-off single as a rookie in 2018 and his transition from a depth piece in Texas to an All-Star in New York are also signature milestones in his career. His 2025 pitching appearance added another unusual entry to a résumé defined by versatility and team-first play.
Jose Trevino Career Wins
As a catcher, Jose Trevino’s statistical milestones are measured more by defensive awards, offensive consistency, and longevity than by traditional win totals. His career is highlighted by an All-Star selection, a Gold Glove Award, a Fielding Bible Award, and a Platinum Glove Award, all earned in 2022. Through his first several major league seasons, he has been valued for his pitch-framing, blocking, and game-calling abilities, which have helped stabilize pitching staffs in Texas, New York, and Cincinnati.
Jose Trevino Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Jose Ramón Trevino grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, in a close-knit family with strong ties to the local community. His father, Joe “Bugé” Trevino, was an important figure in his life and passed away during Jose’s junior year at Oral Roberts University, a loss that deeply shaped his personal journey. Trevino has one son, who was born just five days before he made his MLB debut in 2018.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks Trevino’s first full year with the Cincinnati Reds after being traded from the Yankees in December 2024. He entered spring training as a key part of the Reds’ catching mix, bringing All-Star experience and Gold Glove defense to a young roster. His three-year contract extension, signed in March 2025, reflected Cincinnati’s confidence in his role as a veteran leader and everyday contributor behind the plate.
Throughout the 2025 season, Trevino has provided steady defense, reliable pitch-framing, and timely hitting in the middle of Cincinnati’s lineup. His veteran presence has been especially valuable in developing the team’s younger arms and offering a steady voice in the clubhouse. As the Reds continue to build toward playoff contention, Trevino’s experience and defensive reliability remain central to their long-term plans through 2028.
