Daulton Varsho

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Daulton Varsho

|image = Daulton varsho.jpg

|caption = Varsho with the Toronto Blue Jays in July 2024

|width =

|team = Toronto Blue Jays

|number = 5

|position = Outfielder / Catcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|7|2}}

|birth_place = Marshfield, Wisconsin, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 30

|debutyear = 2020

|debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks

|statyear = May 21, 2025

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .225

|stat2label = Hits

|stat2value = 441

|stat3label = Home runs

|stat3value = 86

|stat4label = Runs batted in

|stat4value = 257

|teams =

Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2020}}–{{mlby|2022}})
Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

|awards =

Gold Glove Award (2024)

}}

Daulton John Varsho (born July 2, 1996) is an American professional baseball outfielder and catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Amateur career

Varsho attended Marshfield High School in Marshfield, Wisconsin, graduating in 2014. He enrolled at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and played college baseball for the Milwaukee Panthers. He was named the Horizon League Player of the Year in his sophomore year, 2016, after he batted .381/.447/.610.{{Cite web |last=Skurzewski |first=Mitchell A. |date=June 12, 2017 |title=Marshfield grad Daulton Varsho picked by Diamondbacks in MLB Draft |url=https://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/story/sports/2017/06/12/marshfield-grad-daulton-varsho-waits-mlb-draft-life-changing-news/381622001/ |access-date=December 5, 2018 |website=Marshfield News Herald}} In 2017 he batted .362/.490/.643.{{Cite web |title=Daulton Varsho Amateur, College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=varsho000dau |access-date=November 11, 2019 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Professional career

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Varsho in the second round, with the 68th overall selection, of the 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.{{Cite web |last=Haudricourt |first=Tom |date=June 13, 2017 |title=Arizona Diamondbacks select UWM catcher Daulton Varsho at No. 68 |url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2017/06/13/arizona-diamondbacks-select-uwm-catcher-daulton-varsho-no-68/391495001/ |access-date=December 5, 2018 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} He signed and made his professional debut that same year with the Hillsboro Hops of the Low–A Northwest League, where he batted .311/.368/.534 with seven home runs, 39 runs batted in (RBI), and had a .902 on-base plus slugging in 50 games.{{Cite web |title=Daulton Varsho Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=662139#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL |access-date=April 30, 2018 |publisher=MiLB.com}}

In 2018, Varsho played with the Visalia Rawhide of the High–A California League, {{Cite web |last=Terranova |first=Rob |date=April 10, 2018 |title=Varsho hits the gas pedal for Rawhide |url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/daulton-varsho-hits-the-gas-pedal-for-vasalia-rawhide/c-271557042 |access-date=December 5, 2018 |website=MiLB.com}} where he hit .286/.363/.451 with 11 home runs, 44 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in 80 games.{{Cite web |title=Daulton Varsho Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=662139#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL |access-date=October 24, 2018}} He was a mid-season All Star.{{Cite web |title=Daulton Varsho Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=662139 |access-date=November 11, 2019 |publisher=Milb.com}}

Varsho spent the 2019 season with the Jackson Generals of the Double–A Southern League.{{Cite web |last=McDermott |first=Michael |date=April 4, 2019 |title=2019 Arizona Diamondbacks Farm System Preview |url=https://www.azsnakepit.com/2019/4/4/18286553/2019-arizona-diamondbacks-farm-system-preview |access-date=November 9, 2019 |publisher=AZ Snake Pit}} In June, he was named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game.{{Cite web |last=Callis |first=Jim |date=June 28, 2019 |title=Here are the 2019 Futures Game rosters |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2019-futures-game-rosters?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage |access-date=June 28, 2019 |website=MLB.com}} In August, the Diamondbacks began to play Varsho as a center fielder in addition to catcher.{{Cite web |last=Piecoro |first=Nick |date=August 23, 2019 |title=Arizona Diamondbacks putting Daulton Varsho's versatility to the test |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2019/08/23/arizona-diamondbacks-putting-daulton-varshos-versatility-test/2104098001/ |access-date=November 9, 2019 |website=azcentral.com}}{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Steve |date=July 31, 2020 |title=Daulton Varsho called up by D-backs |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/daulton-varsho-called-up-by-d-backs |access-date=August 18, 2020 |website=MLB.com}} He batted .301/.378/.520 with 18 home runs, 58 RBI, and 21 stolen bases in 396 at–bats. After the season, on October 10, 2019, he was selected for the United States national baseball team in the 2019 WBSC Premier12.{{Cite web |date=October 10, 2019 |title=USA Baseball Names Premier12 Roster |url=https://www.usabaseball.com/news/usa-baseball-names-premier12-roster/c-311115688?tid=216632610 |access-date=October 13, 2019 |website=USA Baseball}}

The Diamondbacks promoted Varsho to the major leagues for the first time on July 30, 2020.{{Cite web |date=July 30, 2020 |title=Arizona Diamondbacks call up prospect Daulton Varsho |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2020/07/30/arizona-diamondbacks-call-up-prospect-daulton-varsho/5548280002/ |access-date=August 18, 2020 |publisher=Azcentral.com}} He made his major league debut that night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished the season hitting .188/.287/.366 with three home runs and nine RBI in 37 games. On August 14, 2021, Varsho caught Tyler Gilbert's no-hitter against the San Diego Padres.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/gameday/padres-vs-d-backs/2021/08/14/632877/final|title=Padres 0, D-backs 7 Final Score (08/14/2021) on MLB Gameday|website=MLB.com}}

In 2022 he led the majors in percentage of balls pulled (54.5%), and batted .235/.302/.443 with 27 home runs and 74 RBI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/splits-leaderboards|title=Splits Leaderboards | FanGraphs|website=fangraphs.com}} He played 71 games in right field, 54 in center field, 31 at catcher, and 15 at DH.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/varshda01.shtml|title=Daulton Varsho Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

=Toronto Blue Jays=

On December 23, 2022, the Diamondbacks traded Varsho to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/daulton-varsho-traded-to-blue-jays|title=OF/C Varsho acquired by Blue Jays for Gurriel, Moreno|publisher=Toronto Blue Jays|date=December 23, 2022|accessdate=December 23, 2022}} On January 13, 2023, Varsho signed a one-year, $3.05 million contract with the Blue Jays, avoiding salary arbitration.{{Cite web |last=Dierkes |first=Tim |date=January 14, 2023 |title=2023 MLB Arbitration Tracker |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/2023-mlb-arbitration-tracker.html |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=MLBTradeRumors}} In 2023, he batted .229/.298/.416 with 20 home runs, 61 RBI, and 16 stolen bases, and led the AL in bunt hits with 11.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=al&qual=y&type=2&season=2023&month=0&season1=2023&ind=0&sortcol=11&sortdir=default&pagenum=1|title=Major League Leaderboards - 2023 - Batting|website=FanGraphs Baseball}}

Varsho played in 136 contests for the Blue Jays in 2024, slashing .214/.293/.407 with 18 home runs, 58 RBI, and 10 stolen bases.{{Cite web |title=Daulton Varsho 2024 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=varshda01&t=b&year=2024 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} On September 17, 2024, it was announced that Varsho would be undergoing surgery to repair a rotator cuff injury in his right shoulder, ending his season.{{Cite web |last=Franco |first=Anthony |date=2024-09-17 |title=Daulton Varsho To Undergo Shoulder Surgery |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/09/daulton-varsho-to-undergo-shoulder-surgery.html |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}

Personal life

He is the son of former MLB outfielder, manager, and coach Gary Varsho,{{Cite web |date=June 11, 2017 |title=UWM's Varsho worked hard to get in position for the MLB draft |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2017/06/11/varsho-12/387235001/ |access-date=December 5, 2018 |publisher=Jsonline.com}} and is named after Darren Daulton, his father's former teammate.{{Cite web |last=Breen |first=Matt |date=August 21, 2017 |title=Named after Darren Daulton, he's a major-league prospect - and a catcher, too |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/phillies/darren-daulton-gary-varsho-phillies-arizona-diamondbacks-john-vukovich-hillsboro-20170821.html |access-date=August 18, 2020 |website=Philadelphia Inquirer}}