Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer was voted the "Most Valuable Player" for the American League for 2009. Earlier, Mauer won a gold glove for the catcher position.

Joe Mauer led the American League in batting with a .365 average and had 191 hits, 28 home runs, and 96 RBI. Mauer led the Twins to the American League Central Division Championship after a one-game playoff with the Detroit Tigers. The Twins then fell to the dreaded NY Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.

This Mauer's first MVP award. He is a two-time gold glove award winner, and a three-time American League batting champion.

Mauer grew up in Minneapolis area, attending Saint Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall H.S. Mauer was a three sport star while in high school, playing quarterback on the football team, starting guard on the basketball team, and pitching and catching on the baseball team. He is the only athlete selected as the USA Today "High School Player of the Year" in two sports, football (2000) and baseball (2001). He was also the Gatorade "National Player of the Year" in football and baseball in 2001.

Mauer turned down a scholarship from Florida State University to play Major League Baseball and was selected as the first overall pick in the 2001 draft by the Minnesota Twins. Mauer was promoted to the big leagues in 2004.