Daulton Varsho

Daulton John Varsho, born on July 2, 1996, is an American pro baseball player recognized for both his nimble outfielding and competent catching skills. He currently occupies a key role for the Toronto Blue Jays, a team within the Major League Baseball (MLB). His initiation into the professional league occurred in 2020, when he debuted with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The seeds of Varsho’s prosperous baseball career were sown in his formative years in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He graduated from Marshfield High School in 2014, following which he joined the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It was at this university that he played college baseball for the Milwaukee Panthers and polished his skills. Showcasing his prowess on the field, he clinched the title of the Horizon League Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2016. That year, Varsho had an impressive batting average of .381/.447/.610. He maintained his sterling performance, batting .362/.490/.643 in 2017.

Varsho’s talent and determination did not go unnoticed – he was the 68th overall selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2017 MLB draft. He wasted no time in making his professional debut the same year with the Hillsboro Hops, a Class A-Short Season Northwest League team. His debut season was blazing – a .311/.368/.534 batting average, seven home runs, 39 runs batted in (RBIs), and a .902 on-base plus slugging in just 50 games.

In 2018, Varsho was a pivotal part of the Visalia Rawhide team, a Class A-Advanced California League team. This season saw him score a .286/.363/.451 batting average with 11 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 80 games. He was honored as a mid-season All Star.

The subsequent year, Varsho was with the Jackson Generals, a Class AA Southern League team. His extraordinary season was acknowledged with the 2019 All-Star Futures Game inclusion. In a change of strategy, the Diamondbacks began to deploy Varsho as a center fielder alongside his catching duties. His season average was .301/.378/.520 with 18 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 396 at bats. Following this splendid season, Varsho was chosen for the United States national baseball team in the 2019 WBSC Premier12.

Varsho was eventually promoted to the major leagues by the Diamondbacks on July 30, 2020. He made his much-anticipated major league debut on the same day against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite his disappointing batting average of .188/.287/.366 with 3 home runs and 9 RBIs in 37 games, Varsho had a memorable stint as a catcher during Tyler Gilbert’s no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on August 14, 2021.

In 2022, Varsho improved his overall performance. He led the major leagues in the percentage of balls pulled (54.5%) and had a .235/.302/.443 batting average, with 27 home runs and 74 RBIs. He played in multiple positions throughout the season – 71 games in right field, 54 in center field, 31 as a catcher, and 15 as a DH.

On December 23, 2022, Daulton Varsho was traded to Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno. And, on January 13, 2023, he signed a lucrative one-year deal worth $3.05 million with the Blue Jays, thereby avoiding salary arbitration. Despite having a tough 2023 season, batting .229/.298/.416 in 527 at bats, Varsho still managed to lead the American League in bunt hits with 11.

Varsho comes from a family with strong roots in baseball. He is the son of Gary Varsho, a former MLB outfielder, manager, and coach. Besides, his first name, ‘Daulton,’ is a tribute to Darren Daulton, his father’s once-teammate. This profound connection to the sport at an early age undoubtedly played a significant role in shaping Varsho’s career and his burgeoning success in the realm of professional baseball.