Former Pottsville star Travis Blankenhorn is hanging up the cleats.
Blankenhorn, 29, announced on social media on Wednesday evening that after 11 years of professional baseball that he was retiring from the game.
“After 11 incredible seasons in professional baseball, I’ve decided to hang up the spikes,” Blankenhorn said in a social media post. “This game has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and it’s given me more than I ever could’ve imagined.”
“From getting drafted as a kid with a dream, to playing in the big leagues with the Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals, every stop, every teammate, and every challenge shaped me into the person I am today,” he continued. “I had the privilege of being part of six amazing organizations, meeting lifelong friends, and competing alongside some of the best players and people in the game.
There were high moments I’ll never forget and plenty of tough ones that taught me even more. Through it all, I’ve been surrounded by incredible support: my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and fans who believed in me every step of the way. I’ll always be grateful for that.
Baseball was my dream come true, and I’ll always carry those memories with me. Thank you to everyone who helped make the journey so special.”
Blankenhorn was drafted in the third round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins with the 80th overall draft pick. He became just the third Crimson Tide baseball player to be drafted out of high school, joining Brian Hopkins, an 18th-round draft pick in the 1981 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as Jeff Yoder, a 1995 third-round selection by the Chicago Cubs.
After spending parts of four seasons in the minor leagues, Blankenhorn made his major league debut on September 15, 2020, with the Minnesota Twins against the Chicago White Sox. Blankenhorn recorded one hit — a double — in three at-bats. It would be his lone MLB appearance that season.
In 2021, he played one additional game for the Twins before being selected on waivers by the New York Mets.
He went on to play in 23 games in the 2021 season for the Mets and recorded his first career home run on July 18 against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. He would also play one game for the Mets in 2022, spending a majority of the season in the minor leagues before spending parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Washington Nationals, appearing in 23 major league games over the two seasons.
In 2025, Blankenhorn played in the Los Angeles Angels farm system, primarily with their Double-A affiliate, the Rocket City Trash Pandas in Madison, Alabama.
He finishes his major league career with 49 career games played, recording a slash line of .154/.230/.264 with two home runs and 10 RBI.
Originally Published: October 23, 2025 at 10:10 AM EDT