Drake Gaines is the eldest son of Chip and Joanna Gaines, the home-renovation personalities behind Fixer Upper. Beyond his family connection, university records document his college education and baseball background. His story is best understood through those records and the milestones his parents have publicly shared. ABC News
For readers wondering what Joanna Gaines’ son is doing now, PEOPLE reported in August 2026 that Drake, 21, was returning for his senior year of college. That update provides a more recent picture than profiles still describing him as a teenager beginning university. people.com
Quick Bio
| Quick Bio | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Drake Gaines |
| Known for | Eldest son of Chip and Joanna Gaines |
| Age | 21, as reported in August 2026 |
| University | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor |
| Academic subject | Business entrepreneurship, according to his university athletics biography |
| Sporting background | Listed as an outfielder on UMHB’s 2025 baseball roster |
From High School Graduation to College
Drake Gaines move into higher education became a public family milestone in May 2023. ABC News reported that Joanna celebrated his high school graduation with photographs and a video recalling his childhood.
Drake Gaines message focused on watching her first child step into a wider world. The occasion also marked a practical change for a household with five children: the oldest was preparing to leave home while his younger siblings remained at different stages of growing up. Drake’s siblings are Ella, Duke, Emmie Kay and Crew. ABC News
The timeline matters because Joanna had discussed the approaching transition before it happened. Her earlier reflections on college focused on preparing for his departure, not on evidence that he had already enrolled.
By August 2024, ABC News reported that Drake was returning for his second year. Joanna shared a photograph of an embrace and acknowledged that saying goodbye remained difficult. Together, the graduation announcement and subsequent update establish a clear sequence without relying on assumptions drawn from older headlines. ABC News
Drake Gaines’ University and Baseball Background
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s official athletics biography identifies Drake as a business entrepreneurship student. It also records four years of varsity baseball before college.
His archived 2025 roster entry lists him as an outfielder wearing number 22. These details establish a documented sporting background beyond his parents’ television careers. They do not, by themselves, establish a professional baseball career or a future position within the family business. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Athletics
What the Current Roster Shows
An important distinction exists between an archived player profile and a current team listing. Drake appears on the university’s 2025 roster, but his name does not appear on the official 2026 roster reviewed for this article.
Consequently, describing him as a current UMHB baseball player would go beyond the available evidence. His absence from that roster does not explain whether he stopped playing, changed activities or made another decision. It establishes only that the older listing should not automatically be presented as current. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Athletics
How Joanna Has Described the Family Transition
In August 2025, Joanna publicly reflected on two children leaving for college: Drake for his third year and Ella for her first. Her message described the challenge of staying close while allowing them to gain experiences beyond home.
Those comments offer context for the continuing interest in Drake. Much of the public account comes through his mother’s experiences of parenting older children, rather than through interviews in which he outlines his own ambitions. Her reflections should therefore be understood as her perspective, not statements about his private feelings or plans. people.com
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FAQs
Is Drake the Gaines family’s only son?
No. Chip and Joanna also have sons Duke and Crew, alongside daughters Ella and Emmie Kay. Drake is their oldest child. ABC News
When did Drake Gaines graduate from high school?
Joanna publicly celebrated his graduation in May 2023, as ABC News reported at the time. ABC News
Does Drake Gaines’ entrepreneurship course establish a role at Magnolia?
No. A university subject identifies an area of study. It does not establish employment, ownership or a succession plan within his parents’ business.
