Houston-native Garrett Stratton attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, a college-prep school in the Greater Sharpstown neighborhood of the city. The right-hander came into his own in his junior and seniors seasons, posting a 2.29 ERA in his junior year and a 1.87 ERA in his senior season. After graduating, Stratton honored his commitment to Rice University.

His college debut was delayed and he missed the majority of the season, pitching in his first game in April, more than halfway through the 2023 season. He appeared in 10 total games, starting 5, and posted a 7.62 ERA in 13.0 innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 17, and striking out 5. His 2024 season very similar in terms of results, though this time he was able to pitch for the entire year. Appearing in 22 games, the right-hander posted a 5.73 ERA in 22.0 innings, allowing 17 hits, walking 21, and striking out 24.

That summer, he played for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League, where he was a teammate of fellow 2025 Mets draftee Frank Camarillo. Appearing in 4 games, he allowed just a single earned run in 9.2 innings, giving up 4 hits, walking 5, and striking out 15. His success there was not because of a mechanical tweak or a new pitch, and when Stratton returned to Rice for his junior season in 2025, he unfortunately was not able to carry over the success he had there. Appearing in 21 games for the Owls, he posted a 6.25 ERA in 40.1 innings, allowing 47 hits, walking 24, and striking out 37.

While he might not have been getting it done on the mound, he certainly got it done in the classroom, as he earned his business degree in three years. He entered the NCAA Transfer Portal following the end of the baseball season and before the 2025 MLB Draft to continue his post-graduate studies- and his baseball career- at Notre Dame University.

The 6’2”, 180-pound right-hander throws from a three-quarters arm slot. His release point is extremely inconsistent, leading to poor control and command of his pitches. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid-90s and he complements it with a cutter, a 12-6 curveball, and a changeup.