On Thursday, October 15, Cleveland Cavaliers star player Donovan Mitchell threw out the ceremonial first pitch in game three of the ALCS between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Mitchell and his father's baseball ties

Despite being a professional basketball player, Mitchell has ties to baseball through his father, Donovan Mitchell Sr. 

Mitchell’s father played Minor League Baseball in the Houston Astros organization from 1992 to 1998. He was a second baseman and outfielder who finished his career with a .275 batting average, 21 home runs, 259 RBIs, and 137 stolen bases. 

Mitchell’s father spent most of his Minor League career at the Double-A level, where he played in 318 games. 

Mitchell’s basketball career with the Cavs

After spending five seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2017 to 2022, Mitchell was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

In four seasons with the Cavaliers, Mitchell has averaged 26.7 points per game, 5.3 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game. He has been an All-Star for seven straight seasons. This includes all four seasons with Cleveland. 

Mitchell is also a three-time All-NBA player for the Cavaliers. He is the third Cleveland player ever to be a three-time All-NBA selection, along with Mark Price and LeBron James. 

He was first-team All-NBA during the 2024-25 NBA season, when he averaged 24 points per game, five assists per game, and four rebounds per game. 

In July, Mitchell signed a four-year $273 million extension with the Cavaliers. This ensured that the guard’s basketball future remains in Cleveland.

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