MILWAUKEE – Long before Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell was making spectacular postseason catches and hitting home runs on baseball’s biggest stage, he was a little boy swinging a plastic bat and dreaming of playing Major League Baseball. Now, as the Brewers prepare for their first World Series since 1982, his mother, Shannon Mitchell Van Dyke, joins WTMJ’s What’s On Tap with Sandy Maxx for an exclusive, heartfelt conversation about the remarkable journey from Little League to the World Series.
Shannon shares childhood memories, the family’s truly unwavering support through injuries and the challenges of managing Type 1 diabetes, and the joy of watching Garrett inspire others while achieving his lifelong dream. Reflecting on the Brewers clinching the National League pennant, Shannon says, “I’m watching my little boy, you know, reach his dreams, and it’s. It’s pretty amazing.”
The conversation reveals the family behind one of Milwaukee’s most exciting postseason players, including an especially touching story about Garrett calling his mother after a serious shoulder injury to reassure her that he would be okay. Shannon also shares her emotional reaction to his dramatic home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the pride she feels watching him play with determination and joy. Her advice to parents of young athletes is wonderfully simple: encourage their children, celebrate the small victories and remember that sports should be fun. She also reflects on the special connection Garrett has developed with Wisconsin fans and the extraordinary support he’s received throughout his Brewers career.
Now, the entire Mitchell family is preparing to attend every World Series game together, including Garrett’s devoted older sister, Lindsey, who spent countless childhood birthdays and weekends supporting her little brother’s baseball dreams. Lindsey now has a special postseason tradition involving a lucky baseball awaiting Garrett’s autograph and a wristband she refuses to remove until the Brewers’ World Series journey is complete. From a mother’s tears of pride to the little family traditions that make baseball so meaningful, watch Sandy Maxx’s exclusive interview with Shannon Mitchell Van Dyke for a personal perspective on Garrett Mitchell’s remarkable season and the family that has cheered him on every step of the way.
