Ty France Bio
Tyler Lawrence France, known professionally as Ty France, is an American professional baseball first baseman who has spent several seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, and Toronto Blue Jays, building a reputation as a dependable contact hitter. France earned an All-Star selection in 2022 and captured his first Gold Glove Award in 2025. He is recognized for his plate discipline and his unusual durability when absorbing inside pitches.
Born on July 13, 1994, France developed his game in Southern California before starring at San Diego State University. The Padres drafted him in 2015, and he has remained active in professional baseball ever since. After several team changes, France returned to the Padres organization in 2026, bringing his career full circle.
Early Life and Background
Tyler Lawrence France grew up in the Los Angeles area and attended South Hills High School in West Covina, California. The school has produced several notable athletes, and France used his high school years to sharpen the contact-oriented hitting approach that later defined his professional career. He balanced baseball with a typical student schedule and drew early attention from college recruiters across the West Coast.
After graduating, France enrolled at San Diego State University, where he played college baseball from 2013 through 2015. During the summer of 2013, he joined the Bethesda Big Train of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League and earned the team’s Outstanding Hitter award. His development at San Diego State gave him the foundation he needed to enter professional baseball.
Path to Major League Baseball
France spent three seasons with the San Diego State Aztecs and posted consistent offensive numbers. In 2015, his junior year, he batted .336 with four home runs and 49 runs batted in across 64 games. He finished his college career with a .337 batting average, a .428 on-base percentage, and a .470 slugging percentage, drawing the attention of MLB scouts.
The San Diego Padres selected France in the 34th round of the 2015 MLB draft with the 1,017th overall pick. He signed with the organization for a $100,000 bonus and began working his way through the minor league system. France advanced steadily through each level, showing the patience and contact skills that would later define his major league profile.
Ty France Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
France made his professional debut in 2015 with the Low-A Tri-City Dust Devils, batting .294 with one home run and 36 runs batted in. He split the 2016 season between the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps and the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, slugging 14 home runs and driving in 73 runs. The following year, he moved between Lake Elsinore and the Double-A San Antonio Missions, where he continued refining his approach at the plate.
In 2018, France split his season between San Antonio and the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, producing 22 home runs and 96 runs batted in. That November, the Padres added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. France opened 2019 back at El Paso, where his offensive surge set the stage for his first major league opportunity.
San Diego Padres Debut (2019–2020)
France received his first major league call-up on April 24, 2019, and debuted two days later with a pinch-hit single. He returned to the majors on August 16 after batting .399 with El Paso, finishing the season just one-thousandth of a point shy of a .400 average at Triple-A. France made the Padres’ Opening Day roster in 2020, starting as the designated hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
His time with San Diego ended on August 30, 2020, when the Padres traded him along with Taylor Trammell, Andrés Muñoz, and Luis Torrens to the Seattle Mariners. The deal brought Austin Nola, Dan Altavilla, and Austin Adams to San Diego. France closed his first stint with the Padres having established himself as a promising young hitter.
Seattle Mariners Breakthrough (2020–2024)
France joined the Mariners in the final weeks of 2020 and hit .302 with two home runs and 13 runs batted in during a short stint. In 2021, he produced his first full major league season, batting .291 with 18 home runs, 73 runs batted in, and 85 runs scored across 152 games. He tied for the major league lead in hit by pitch with 27, the first sign of his unusual durability against inside pitches.
The 2022 season marked France’s breakthrough. On April 23, he recorded his first career five-hit game against the Kansas City Royals, going 5-for-6 with a home run. A few days later, he and Miguel Cabrera were named American League co-players of the week. France joined the 2022 MLB All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Mike Trout and finished the year batting .274 with 20 home runs and 83 runs batted in.
France avoided arbitration with a one-year, $4.1 million contract in January 2023 and led the majors with 34 hit by pitches. He agreed to a $6.775 million deal for 2024 but struggled at the plate, and the Mariners placed him on outright waivers on July 21. After clearing waivers, he was designated for assignment on July 23, ending his time in Seattle.
Cincinnati Reds (2024)
On July 29, 2024, the Mariners traded France to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Andruw Salcedo. He appeared in 52 games for Cincinnati, batting .251 with five home runs and 20 runs batted in. On November 1, the Reds removed him from the 40-man roster and sent him outright to the Triple-A Louisville Bats, but France rejected the assignment and elected free agency.
Minnesota Twins (2025)
France signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Minnesota Twins on February 15, 2025, restarting his career in the American League. He delivered a walk-off single against the New York Mets on April 16 and added a walk-off home run against the Kansas City Royals on May 23. France appeared in 101 games for the Twins, batting .251 with six home runs and 44 runs batted in.
Toronto Blue Jays (2025)
On July 31, 2025, the Twins traded France and Louis Varland to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Alan Roden and Kendry Rojas. He played 37 games for Toronto, batting .277 with one home run and eight runs batted in. Combined across both clubs in 2025, France hit .257 with seven home runs, 52 runs batted in, and one stolen base.
Return to San Diego Padres (2026)
On February 16, 2026, France returned to the San Diego Padres on a minor league contract. The Padres selected his contract on March 25 after he earned a spot on the Opening Day roster, marking a return to the organization that originally drafted him. Through this point in his career, he has compiled a .262 batting average, 89 home runs, and 388 runs batted in across his major league appearances.
Notable Events and Milestones
On June 8, 2024, France surpassed Hall of Famer Edgar Martínez to become the Mariners’ all-time franchise leader in hit by pitch with 90. On November 2, 2025, he earned his first Gold Glove Award for American League first basemen, recognizing his defensive consistency. These moments reflect both his unusual toughness at the plate and his steady play in the field.
Ty France Career Wins
Throughout his major league career, Ty France has been recognized as a reliable offensive contributor rather than a power-hitting star. His All-Star selection in 2022 and Gold Glove Award in 2025 stand as the highest individual honors of his career.
MLB Highlights
France’s first All-Star appearance came in 2022 as an injury replacement for Mike Trout, capping a season that included his first five-hit game. In 2025, he collected his first Gold Glove Award after combining steady defense at first base with timely hitting for the Twins and Blue Jays. He has also led the major leagues in hit by pitches in multiple seasons, including 2021 and 2023.
Other Performances
France posted strong numbers in the minors, including a .294 average with the Tri-City Dust Devils in 2015 and 22 home runs with El Paso in 2018. He was named the Outstanding Hitter for the Bethesda Big Train during his 2013 summer collegiate season. These performances helped establish the foundation for his major league success.
Ty France Family
Personal Life
France married his wife, Maggie, in January 2022. On April 6, 2024, the couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy. France has often spoken about the importance of family in his life, and his son arrived during his final season with the Seattle Mariners.
2025 Season Performance
France began 2025 with the Minnesota Twins after signing a one-year, $1 million contract in February. He quickly became a clutch performer, delivering walk-off hits against the New York Mets on April 16 and the Kansas City Royals on May 23. His late-inning production helped stabilize the middle of the Twins’ lineup during the early months of the season.
On July 31, the Twins traded France to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he provided veteran presence and contact hitting down the stretch. Across both organizations in 2025, he batted .257 with seven home runs, 52 runs batted in, and one stolen base. The season ended on a high note when France was awarded his first Gold Glove Award for American League first basemen on November 2.
