Travis Paul Jankowski Bio
Travis Paul Jankowski is an American professional baseball former outfielder and current first base coach for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. Born on June 15, 1991, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jankowski played professional baseball for 11 seasons with nine different MLB teams. He was drafted in the first round by the San Diego Padres in 2012 and made his major league debut in 2015. Jankowski earned a reputation as an elite base stealer and contact hitter throughout his career, culminating in a World Series championship with the Texas Rangers in 2023. He retired as a player following the 2025 season and was hired as the Rangers’ first base coach in November 2025.
Early Life and Background
Jankowski was born on June 15, 1991, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His mother, Kelly, played softball, while his father, Paul, was an outfielder for Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Jankowski and his older brother, Tyler, were both coached by their father from a young age. In addition to weight training before school in the morning and team practice in the afternoon, Jankowski practiced batting by hitting into a net that his father built in their basement. As a Pennsylvania native, Jankowski and his family grew up supporting the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.
While attending Lancaster Catholic High School, Jankowski played on both the baseball team, as an outfielder, and on the gridiron football team, as a wide receiver. He battled a series of injuries during his high school career, including a collarbone fracture, a concussion, and a sprained ankle. Nevertheless, during his junior season, Jankowski had a .471 batting average, with 25 runs scored, 20 runs batted in, and 24 stolen bases. The Associated Press named him to the All-State First Team that season, and he helped take Lancaster Catholic to a district championship.
Path to Professional Baseball
Following his high school graduation in 2009, Jankowski committed to play college baseball at Stony Brook University on a partial athletic scholarship. Jankowski’s slender frame, standing at 6 feet 2 inches and 165 pounds, made him a more appealing candidate for college baseball than football, and Stony Brook was the only NCAA Division I university to offer him a scholarship. Jankowski made his college baseball debut in the second game of the Stony Brook 2010 baseball season, scoring two hits in two at bats against Akron. He led the team in stolen bases with 13 in 14 attempts during his freshman season.
The summer between his freshman and sophomore year, Jankowski played collegiate summer baseball with the Marion Bobcats of the Kitty League. In 40 games, he led the league with a .484 batting average, 62 hits, and 45 stolen bases. He later played for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2011, leading the league with 57 hits, 31 runs scored, and seven triples. He was inducted into the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame in 2025.
2012 proved to be a breakout season for Jankowski, who led the nation in hits, runs scored, and triples throughout the regular season. In the postseason, Jankowski served as the Seawolves’ leadoff hitter during their Cinderella run to the 2012 College World Series. He scored four hits in Stony Brook’s victory over Louisiana State to take the Baton Rouge Super Regional and reach the College World Series. Jankowski became Stony Brook’s first ever first round MLB draft pick when he was drafted 44th overall by the San Diego Padres in the supplemental first round of the 2012 MLB draft, signing with a bonus of $975,000. He was inducted into the Stony Brook Hall of Fame in 2017.
Travis Jankowski Career
San Diego Padres (2015–2019)
After signing with the Padres in 2012, Jankowski was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona League Padres before advancing to the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League. He ended the regular season with a 17-game hitting streak, which he extended to 23 games before a hit-by-pitch fractured his rib in the Midwest League championship series. In 256 plate appearances, Jankowski batted .282 for Fort Wayne with 17 stolen bases in 59 games. In 2013, Jankowski was the Padres’ No. 21 prospect according to Baseball America and led all professional baseball players in the United States with 71 stolen bases through mid-August before a sprained ankle ended his season early.
In 2014, Jankowski fractured his wrist by running into an outfield fence while pursuing a fly ball, limiting him to only 46 minor league games. He returned to Double-A in 2015, where he impressed manager Jamie Quirk with his defensive performance in center field, earning the nickname “Secretary of Defense.” After hitting .316 with 23 stolen bases, he was promoted to Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, where he hit .392 in 24 games. In August 2015, the Padres called Jankowski up to the majors, and he made his MLB debut on August 22, singling in his first two at bats against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the third Padre in franchise history to record hits in his first two plate appearances.
In 2016, Jankowski made the Padres’ Opening Day roster and led the team with 30 stolen bases. He stole home plate twice in August and put together a 24-game hitting streak between July 31 and August 26, the longest by a Padres rookie since Roberto Alomar in 1988. He batted .245 in 131 games with 24 stolen bases. Injuries plagued Jankowski in 2017 when he fractured the navicular bone in his left foot, limiting him to just 27 games and 87 plate appearances. In 2018, Jankowski served as the Padres’ leadoff hitter and became the first Padre to steal four bases in a single game since Everth Cabrera in 2012, finishing with a .259 average, four home runs, and 24 stolen bases in 117 games.
Mid-Career Teams (2020–2022)
On October 31, 2019, Jankowski was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for international bonus slot cash. He was named to the Reds’ Opening Day roster in 2020 as a pinch runner but went 1-for-15 in 16 games before being optioned to the alternate training site. He returned for the postseason and stole one base as a pinch runner in the Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves. On February 15, 2021, Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and was promoted to the major league roster in May after Roman Quinn suffered a season-ending injury. He batted .252 with one home run and 10 RBI in 76 games for Philadelphia.
On March 17, 2022, Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets and made their Opening Day roster. He served as the Mets’ fourth outfielder and had a three-hit game in the home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He broke his hand on May 25 after making a diving catch and was placed on the injured list for six to eight weeks. After being activated in July, he was designated for assignment later that month. The Mets re-signed him to a minor league contract in August, and he played 36 games for Triple-A Syracuse before electing free agency. On August 1, 2022, Jankowski was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners but was designated for assignment four days later and elected free agency.
Texas Rangers Era (2023–2024)
On January 27, 2023, Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. On March 29, it was announced that Jankowski had made the Opening Day roster and had his contract selected to the 40-man roster. Jankowski became the Rangers’ strong-side platoon left fielder and led the team with 19 stolen bases while batting .263 through mid-July. He ended the regular season slashing .263/.357/.332 in 287 plate appearances with 63 starts in 107 games. In the postseason, Jankowski recorded his first career playoff hit in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.
Jankowski replaced starting right fielder Adolis García in Game 3 of the World Series after García suffered an oblique injury. García was ruled out for the remainder of the series, and Jankowski made his first career World Series start in Game 4 on October 31. He recorded two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored while making a sliding catch that narrowly avoided colliding with Marcus Semien to end the seventh inning. The Rangers won 11-7, and Jankowski was named an “unlikely fall hero” for his efforts filling in for the Rangers’ hottest playoff hitter. He started Game 5 as the Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the franchise’s first World Series championship.
On January 26, 2024, Jankowski re-signed with the Rangers on a one-year, $1.7 million contract. On March 28 against the Chicago Cubs, he hit an Opening Day pinch-hit game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth, the 11th home run of his career. On August 28, Jankowski robbed Andrew Vaughn of the Chicago White Sox of a walk-off home run in a play that topped the SportsCenter top 10. Jankowski stole his 100th career base on August 31. On September 26, Jankowski became the last player to bat at the Oakland Coliseum in a major league game. In 104 appearances for the Rangers in 2024, he slashed .200/.266/.242 with one home run, 12 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.
Player Profile and Strengths
Jankowski developed a batting style that favors putting balls in play rather than aiming for home runs. Critical to this approach was improved pitch discipline, swinging only when he believed he could be productive. This was most evident during the 2018 season when he served as the Padres’ leadoff hitter. After three seasons of swinging at 22 percent or more of pitches outside the strike zone, he dropped that number to 13.8 percent. He also developed a reputation as an elite base stealer, a skill he attributes to discipline and preparation. Jankowski has watched videos of pitchers he faces to understand how they react with a runner on base, and he uses that information to decide whether to attempt to steal.
Throughout his career, Jankowski expanded his versatility by learning to play all three outfield positions. In 2016, while serving primarily in right field, Padres manager Andy Green said that “Travis has more range than 99.9 percent of all outfielders in Major League Baseball.” His strong defensive performance in center field drew comparisons to players such as Devon White and Willie Wilson during his time in Double-A.
Notable Events and Milestones
Jankowski’s signature career moment came during the 2023 World Series when he stepped in for the injured Adolis García and delivered a multi-hit, multi-RBI performance in Game 4, helping the Rangers capture their first championship. He stole home plate twice in August 2016 during his time with the Padres, and in 2018 became the first Padre since 2012 to steal four bases in a single game. His 24-game hitting streak in 2016 was the longest by a Padres rookie in nearly three decades.
Travis Jankowski Career Wins
Jankowski’s career was defined by consistent stolen base production and versatility across nine major league teams. He accumulated 104 career stolen bases over 11 seasons while maintaining a career batting average of .236. His most productive seasons came with the San Diego Padres, where he led the team in stolen bases twice, and the Texas Rangers, where he helped anchor the outfield during their championship run.
Career Highlights
Jankowski’s career statistics include 11 home runs, 98 runs batted in, and a .236 batting average across his major league career. His 104 stolen bases demonstrated his elite speed and basestealing ability. He earned a World Series championship with the Texas Rangers in 2023, appearing in four postseason games with four hits, two RBI, and two runs scored during the Fall Classic. Earlier in his career, he represented Team USA at the 2015 Pan American Games, where he led the leadoff spot and helped the team earn a silver medal.
Travis Jankowski Family
Family Background
Jankowski comes from a baseball family with deep roots in the sport. His father, Paul, played outfield at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, while his mother, Kelly, played softball. His older brother, Tyler, also played baseball, and both Jankowski and his brother were coached by their father from a young age. This family involvement helped shape Jankowski’s development as a player from an early age.
Personal Life
Jankowski married his wife, Lindsey, on October 27, 2017. His Padres teammates Cory Spangenberg and Colin Rea served as groomsmen at the wedding. The couple have two sons and one daughter together. They reside in Lancaster during the offseason. Jankowski has gone by the nickname “Freddy” since his high school baseball career, a name that originated from his childhood fascination with Fred Rogers, the host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the final chapter of Jankowski’s playing career as he bounced between three organizations. On February 21, 2025, he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs but was released less than a month later. He then signed with the Chicago White Sox on March 12 and made their Opening Day roster after a strong spring training. In seven appearances for Chicago, he went 3-for-14 with one walk before being designated for assignment after Mike Tauchman was activated from the injured list. He elected free agency, cleared waivers, and re-signed with the White Sox on a minor league contract, playing five games for Triple-A Charlotte.
On April 25, 2025, Jankowski was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. The following day, the Rays selected his contract, adding him to their active roster. In 14 appearances for Tampa Bay, he batted .258 with two RBI and two stolen bases. On June 4, he elected free agency after being removed from the team’s 40-man roster. On June 10, Jankowski signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets, and on June 23, the Mets selected his contract, adding him to their active roster for his third stint with the organization. He appeared in eight games before being designated for assignment on July 10 and electing free agency on July 13.
Following his retirement as a player, Jankowski transitioned to coaching. On November 12, 2025, the Texas Rangers announced they had hired Jankowski to serve as the team’s first base coach, bringing him back to the organization where he won his World Series championship just two years earlier. This marked the beginning of a new chapter for Jankowski, who spent 15 years as a professional player across nine major league teams before joining the Rangers’ coaching staff.