(2006, 2008, 2009)

Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins.

Mauer is considered by many to be the best catcher in baseball and has been said by some, including Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., to have the best swing in baseball. In his breakout 2006 season, Mauer became the first catcher in major league history to lead both leagues in batting average and the first American League catcher to win the batting title, finishing with an average of .347. In 2008, he became the first American League catcher to win the batting title twice when he led the AL with an average of .328; Mauer also won his first Gold Glove Award. In 2009, he became the first catcher to lead in batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage in a single year. Mauer's .365 average, which is the all-time highest mark among catchers in MLB history, led Major League Baseball.Mauer also won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2009. Mauer has been named the American League's 2009 MVP by an near-unanimous decision (27 out of 28 first place votes).