Verlander played Little League at Tuckahoe Little League in Richmond, Virginia. Verlander's father … See more

Verlander's velocity increased to 87 mph (140 km/h) during his first year with Old Dominion. Verlander, a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 200 lb (91 kg) right-handed pitcher, played for the Old Dominion University baseball team for thr… See more

Verlander's professional baseball career began when he was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft. He signed a contract on October 25, 2004. Verlander made his professiona… See more

As a college sophomore, Verlander pitched for the United States national baseball team in 2003 and helped the US win a silver medal in the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo.
Verlander … See more

Verlander throws four pitches: a hard four-seam fastball averaging 94–95 mph (topping out at 102 ), a slider in the mid-to-high 80s, a 12–6 curveball around 80, and a changeup at 85–88 mph. His four-seam fastball ha… See more

In 2016, Verlander started the "Wins For Warriors Foundation" for veterans of the United States Military. The "Wins For Warriors Foundation" campaign raised $246,311 to help Houston recover from Hurricane … See more