A Life Bigger Than Baseball

Baseball has always been part of my personal mythology. I grew up with it not just as a pastime, but as a language spoken fluently in our house: one that shaped summers, conversations, and memories. My dad loved the game, covering sports for The Kansas City Star to pay his way through college before he attended medical school. 

Summer meant ballparks and metal bleachers, the crack of bats echoing through the Kansas heat as I watched my older brother play inning after inning. These memories also include sneaking off to the snack bar to purchase Big League Chew with my hard-earned babysitting money, while simultaneously catching a peek at the cute ball players warming up for their games. But the most outstanding memories involved attending professional baseball games at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. The eighties was the height of George Brett and the electric era of “Bo Knows” — a la Bo Jackson.

In 2015, my dad and I, sporting our Royals’ ball caps and ponchos to stave off the impending rain, sat side by side at game two of the World Series at Kauffman Stadium. That series ended in a championship for the Royals, and it was Jeremy Guthrie’s final season. Nine years later, my dad found his way back to that magic through Royals Fantasy Camp in Arizona, a place where lifelong fans get a fleeting taste of the game they’ve always loved, with some of the players they’ve only seen

from afar. It was there that he met Guthrie (and George Brett!)—and where this conversation quietly, almost improbably, began. Some stories, it turns out, are patient, and they wait until the timing is right to come home.

-Rebekah Iliff, Editor-in-Chief, Palomino County

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Jeremy Guthrie has never been the kind of man you can sum up with a single title. Yes, he is a World Series champion and a Major League Baseball veteran whose career stretched across fifteen professional seasons and five storied franchises: the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, and Washington Nationals. But before the bright stadium lights, the sold-out crowds, and the pressure-cooker moments on the mound, Guthrie was a kid from Ashland, Oregon with a valedictorian’s mind, a multisport athlete’s grit, and an instinctive curiosity about the world beyond the outfield fence.

Born in 1979, Jeremy Shane Guthrie charted a path defined by discipline, faith, and an almost stubborn loyalty to doing things the right way. Long before he became a first-round MLB draft pick or a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award at Stanford, he spent two years in Northern Spain as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—a formative experience he frequently cites as the grounding force of his life. Returning stateside with a deeper sense of humility and purpose, Guthrie enrolled at Stanford University, where he quickly reasserted himself not just as a student-athlete but as one of the nation’s premier pitchers, earning First Team All-American honors and catching the attention of the Cleveland Indians, who selected him 22nd overall in the 2002 draft.

His MLB career, 10 seasons in the big leagues between 2004 and 2017, showcased a pitcher who combined mental toughness with infectious optimism. In clubhouses known for big personalities and high expectations, Guthrie was the steady one. Teammates relied on him. Coaches trusted him. Fans embraced him. And behind all of it was a man who loved the craft of pitching as much as the responsibility of representing something larger than himself.

After retiring from the game he loves, Guthrie yet again took a path most athletes wouldn’t expect, or frankly, choose. From 2018 to 2021, he and his wife Jenny led the Texas Houston South Mission for their church, dedicating three years to service, mentorship, and faith leadership. It was a return to the same kind of purposeful work that shaped his early adulthood, proving that for Guthrie, character has always mattered more than curveballs.

But make no mistake, baseball is still in his blood. In 2023 he joined the Kansas City Royals’ radio broadcast team, bringing his signature blend of insight, humility, and enthusiasm to the booth. By 2024, he transitioned into TV broadcasting, covering 15 games and quickly became a fan favorite for his clarity and genuine love of the Royals organization. In 2025, he expanded his presence to 20 games, continuing a natural evolution from athlete to storyteller.

MLB recently invited Guthrie to join the Commissioner’s Ambassadors Program alongside 20 former players who serve as the league’s connective tissue to fans, communities, and global baseball culture. It’s a fitting role for someone who sees the sport not just as entertainment, but as a universal language—one he has carried across continents. Guthrie travels the world teaching baseball, exploring how the sport takes root in unexpected places, and even filming a pilot in Sofia, Bulgaria titled Long Gone, a project aimed at discovering the wildly different, often overlooked baseball subcultures around the globe.

Of course, there’s also the sneaker side of Jeremy. The self-proclaimed “sneakerhead” whose Air Jordan collection became clubhouse legend, and who now owns Custom Cleats, a company transforming everyday kicks into field-ready footwear for athletes of all stripes.

Jeremy Guthrie’s story is one of talent, yes. But more than that, it’s a story of intention, curiosity, service, and reinvention. He is an athlete who became a mentor, a missionary who became a broadcaster, a globetrotter who still believes baseball can change lives. And in this conversation, we go deeper into what drives him, what he’s learned, and why the game still matters…perhaps now more than ever.

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Rebekah Iliff: What would you say was your “big break,” or was it really a series of small steps that led to where you are today?

Jeremy Guthrie: I’d say it was a series of continual, diligent efforts supported by incredible family and friends. Nothing in my life or career has ever come from one big moment. It’s been a lot of small, consistent decisions. Above all, it’s been about aligning my life with God in the good times and the tougher ones.

RI: Faith clearly plays a meaningful role in your life. How does it influence both your career and your personal choices?

JG: My faith is the foundation of everything I strive to do and become. My first commitment is to God and to living as the Savior lived. That influences how I approach my work, how I treat people, how I lead my family, and how I run my business. Everything flows from that center.

RI: How has baseball shaped you, even though you’ve said it’s not your entire identity?

JG: Baseball has brought immense joy, friendships, and life experiences. It’s allowed me to travel the world, learn from other cultures, and build relationships I treasure. But it’s not who I am—it’s something I loved doing that opened doors to growth, humility, and service.

RI: What was the most exciting moment of your MLB career?

JG: Winning the World Series with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. Nothing comes close. To share that moment with teammates you love is what you dream about as a kid.

RI: What would people be surprised to learn about you?

JG: Probably that I love chess. I was the 5th Grade Oregon State Chess Champion. Yes, even pitchers have brainy hobbies.

RI: How did you meet your wife — and how do you keep your marriage strong after years of baseball, travel, and service?

JG: We met at BYU as freshmen. We’ve grown up together and lived a lot of life side by side: baseball, retirement, missionary service, and raising four kids. Staying close to God has been essential. He helps us stay humble, connected, forgiving, and united through every season of life.

RI: What is the hardest part about being a professional athlete?

JG: Hands down, the public accountability. Baseball is a sport built on failure. If you’re great, you still fail most of the time. Doing that on a public stage, every night, is mentally challenging. You have to learn resilience very quickly.

RI: What advice do you give young men or women chasing a professional sports career?

JG: Recognize how incredibly difficult it is to reach the top. Only a tiny percentage ever make it to the professional level of any sport. So, value your education, stay well-rounded, stay humble, and build character first. Whether you make it or not, who you become matters far more.

RI: What makes your company, Custom Cleats, unique?

JG: We allow athletes to express themselves through footwear by converting everyday sneakers into functional cleats. It’s about individuality, comfort, performance…and fun! Athletes love it because it’s truly about them.

RI: What’s the biggest business challenge you face today?

JG: Keeping every athlete we serve happy and feeling important. Our mission is to bring joy and confidence to athletes through their footwear, and making sure each person feels seen, valued, and supported is both the challenge and the reward.

RI: What’s keeping you busy these days?

JG: A lot! My family for starters: four kids ranging from college age to preschool. Custom Cleats. Broadcasting for the Kansas City Royals. International travel and teaching baseball. And working with Major League Baseball as a member of the Commissioner’s Ambassadors Program. 

RI: Last but certainly not least, what is your definition of the American Dream?

JG: To enjoy the freedom to choose and create your own path in life, and to follow your passions. It’s about opportunity, agency, and purpose.

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