Griffin Canning

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Griffin Alexander Canning, born May 11, 1996, in Mission Viejo, California, is an American baseball pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Angels and the New York Mets. He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Angels and won a Gold Glove Award in 2020. As of 2025, he played for the Mets.

High school and college
Canning went to Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. As a senior, he had an 11–3 record, a 1.51 ERA, and 123 strikeouts, and was named the Orange County Register Pitcher of the Year. He led his team to the 2014 CIF SS Division I Championship, striking out 11 and allowing two hits in the final game.

He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2015 in the 38th round but did not sign. He attended UCLA, where he became the team’s top pitcher. In 2015 he went 7–1 with a 2.97 ERA and 66 strikeouts. In 2016 he went 5–8 with a 3.70 ERA and 95 strikeouts. In 2017 he posted a 7–4 record with a 2.34 ERA and 140 strikeouts.

Professional career
The Los Angeles Angels drafted Canning in the 2nd round (47th overall) in 2017. He signed for about $1.46 million but did not pitch that year. In 2018 he played in the Angels’ minor league system, moving from High-A to Triple-A as he worked his way up. In 25 starts across three levels in 2018, he went 4–3 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.26 WHIP.

Canning began the 2019 season in the minors but was called up to the Angels on April 30 and made his major league debut against the Toronto Blue Jays, striking out six in 4 1/3 innings. His rookie season was cut short by elbow inflammation, and he finished 2019 with a 5–6 record, a 4.58 ERA, and 96 strikeouts.

In 2020, he went 2–3 with a 3.99 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 11 starts and won the Gold Glove for his defense, also committing just one error in 16 chances.

In 2021, Canning went 5–4 with a 5.60 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 13 starts. He was sent to Triple-A Salt Lake on July 3 and later that year suffered a low back stress fracture, ending his season. He began 2022 on the injured list and did not pitch that year due to multiple setbacks.

In 2023, he signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Angels. In 2024, he appeared in 32 games (31 starts) for the Angels, posting a 6–13 record with a 5.19 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 171 2/3 innings.

Later in 2024, Canning was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jorge Soler. The Braves non-tendered him in November, making him a free agent. He then signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract with the New York Mets on December 19, 2024.

In 2025, he started 16 games for the Mets, going 7–3 with a 3.77 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings. On June 26, 2025, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, ending his season.

Overall
Canning is known for his strong fastball and his defense, highlighted by the Gold Glove Award in 2020. He has dealt with injuries throughout his career but has shown resilience and talent at the major league level.