LEBANON — Ty Duvall has traveled a long way from the baseball diamonds of Lebanon High School.
The former Warriors standout has gone from winning a national championship at Vanderbilt to pursuing a professional playing career and eventually finding his place on a Major League Baseball coaching staff.
Now, he can add World Series champion to his résumé.
Duvall, a 2016 Lebanon graduate, helped the Milwaukee Brewers capture their first World Series championship in franchise history Wednesday night, Oct. 28, serving as the team’s bullpen catcher during a historic postseason run.
The Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, securing the championship in five games and completing one of the most successful seasons in franchise history.
Milwaukee finished with a major league-best 103 regular-season victories before going 11-2 in the postseason under manager Pat Murphy. Rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the decisive victory, while Cooper Pratt delivered two hits and two RBIs.
The championship ended a drought that stretched back to the franchise’s beginnings as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. Milwaukee’s only previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when the Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
Duvall’s accomplishment also gave his hometown another reason to celebrate.
“Just a kid from Lebanon, Ohio!” Lebanon Athletics posted on social media while congratulating its former standout.
A championship foundation at Vanderbilt
A three-year captain at Lebanon from 2014-16, Duvall helped the Warriors capture three consecutive Greater Western Ohio Conference South Division championships.
He earned GWOC Player of the Year honors in 2015, received second-team All-Ohio recognition and was ranked as the state’s No. 1 prospect in the 2016 recruiting class by Perfect Game.
His success earned him an opportunity to play at Vanderbilt, one of the nation’s premier college baseball programs under longtime coach Tim Corbin.
Duvall developed into a dependable catcher for the Commodores, contributing both offensively and defensively during Vanderbilt’s run to the 2019 College World Series championship.
He appeared in 63 games that season, batting .275 with five home runs, 42 RBIs and a .418 on-base percentage.
Vanderbilt compiled a 22-1 record in games Duvall started behind the plate that season, highlighting his contributions to a team that ultimately captured the national championship.
Duvall also delivered several important offensive performances during the Commodores’ postseason run, including a grand slam against Indiana State in an NCAA regional game.
His development caught the attention of professional scouts. The Oakland Athletics selected him in the 25th round of the 2019 MLB draft, but Duvall elected to return to Vanderbilt for his senior season.
Corbin praised Duvall’s leadership and dedication to the program.
“Tyler is a special kid,” Corbin said in Duvall’s Vanderbilt biography. “He is very serious about school and his college baseball career. The game of baseball is always on the front of his mind.”
Duvall’s senior season was cut short when the COVID-19 pandemic ended college baseball in March 2020. He later signed with the Seattle Mariners organization, continuing his pursuit of a professional baseball career.
Finding his place in the major leagues
Duvall spent parts of four seasons in Seattle’s minor league system, playing for the Modesto Nuts and Everett AquaSox.
He appeared in 135 minor league games from 2021-24, batting .229 with eight home runs, 55 RBIs and a .368 on-base percentage.
Injuries interrupted his playing career, including a lengthy absence in 2024.
After Seattle released him in March 2025, Duvall signed a minor league contract with Milwaukee and was assigned to the Nashville Sounds. He was released that July.
His baseball career, however, was far from finished.
Milwaukee named Duvall one of its two major league bullpen catchers entering the 2026 season, joining Christian Correa on Murphy’s staff.
The position involves considerably more than catching warm-up pitches. Bullpen catchers work closely with pitchers, help them prepare between appearances and provide feedback on mechanics, pitch movement and execution.
Duvall’s impact became particularly evident during Milwaukee’s postseason run.
Following the Brewers’ National League Division Series victory over San Diego, pitcher Robert Gasser publicly praised Duvall for helping him develop confidence on the mound.
“Ty is a great guy, he does the most for me,” Gasser told MLB.com in an Oct. 8 interview.
Duvall explained how his experience catching pitchers allows him to recognize details that others might miss.
“I have a unique perspective because I get to catch,” Duvall told MLB.com. “I get to see what other guys don’t while they’re watching mechanics and how the ball comes out.”
Duvall also worked with Gasser on the mental side of pitching, encouraging him to maintain confidence while competing in hostile postseason environments.
His message centered on the importance of positive self-talk and maintaining confidence under pressure.
“You need somebody rooting for you,” Duvall said. “And if it’s anybody, it should be yourself.”
Gasser credited that encouragement as an important part of his preparation.
The recognition provided a glimpse into the influence Duvall had developed during his first season on Milwaukee’s major league staff.
Two championships, one hometown
Seven years after helping Vanderbilt defeat Michigan in the 2019 College World Series, Duvall found himself celebrating another championship — this time at baseball’s highest professional level.
His contributions came in a different capacity, but his responsibilities remained rooted in the position he had played throughout his career.
Milwaukee’s pitching staff played a significant role in its championship run. The Brewers never allowed more than four runs in any of their 13 postseason games, while their bullpen recorded a 1.38 ERA across 65 innings.
The relief corps’ performance was among the best in postseason history, providing a fitting conclusion to Duvall’s first season working with Milwaukee’s major league pitchers. MLB.com
At 29, Duvall has experienced baseball from several perspectives — as a highly recruited high school player, a national champion at Vanderbilt, a minor league catcher and now a member of a World Series-winning major league staff.
His journey has included championship celebrations, injuries, organizational changes and the transition from playing to helping others succeed.
Through it all, his connection to Lebanon has remained part of his story.
The former Warriors standout now has two of baseball’s most coveted championship accomplishments attached to his name — a College World Series title in 2019 and a World Series championship in 2026.
And as Lebanon Athletics reminded its community following Milwaukee’s historic victory, it all started with a kid from Lebanon, Ohio.
