Andrew Chafin Bio
Andrew Gregory Chafin, nicknamed “Big Country” and “the Sheriff,” is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Born on June 17, 1990, in Wakeman, Ohio, Chafin has built a long career as a left-handed reliever in Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Angels.
Across more than a decade in the major leagues, Chafin has been valued for his work out of the bullpen, his fastball velocity, and his slider against left-handed hitters. He is also remembered for his part in a combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021.
Early Life and Background
Andrew Gregory Chafin was born on June 17, 1990, in Wakeman, Ohio, a small town in northern Ohio. He grew up in a rural part of the state and attended Western Reserve High School in nearby Collins, Ohio, where he played for the school’s baseball team. As a senior, he threw a no-hitter in his final high school game, an early hint of the pitching career that lay ahead.
After high school, Chafin enrolled at Kent State University and pitched for the Kent State Golden Flashes college baseball program. As a freshman in 2009, he was named the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after posting a 1.26 earned run average (ERA), eight saves, and 55 strikeouts over 35 and two-thirds innings.
His college path included a setback. In 2010, Chafin underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow and missed the entire season. He returned in 2011 as a starter and bounced back with a 2.02 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 89 innings. That summer, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, sharpening his craft against top amateur competition.
Path to Major League Baseball
Chafin’s strong 2011 season at Kent State pushed him into the upper tier of that year’s draft class. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the first round with the 43rd overall pick of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, marking him as one of the top college left-handers available.
He made his professional debut that summer with the Arizona League Diamondbacks, striking out two batters in a single inning. In 2012, pitching for the Visalia Rawhide, he posted a 4.93 ERA with 150 strikeouts across 122 and one-third innings, showing the swing-and-miss stuff that had made him a first-round pick. He started 2013 with Visalia and was promoted mid-season to the Mobile BayBears, finishing the year with a 3.20 ERA and 119 strikeouts over 157 and one-third innings across both levels.
That development set the stage for his MLB debut in August 2014. Chafin went on to become a steady bullpen presence for the Diamondbacks, and his career later expanded through stints with several organizations.
Andrew Chafin Career
Early Career: Arizona Diamondbacks (2014–2020)
Andrew Gregory Chafin made his Major League debut on August 13, 2014, against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, pitching five innings and allowing three hits, two walks, and three strikeouts in a no-decision. A few weeks later, on September 17, 2014, he recorded his first major league at-bat and drove in a run with a single, showing that he was more than just a pitcher at the plate.
The Diamondbacks converted Chafin into a reliever for the 2015 season, and the move paid off. He went 5–1 with a 2.76 ERA in 66 games, giving Arizona a dependable left-handed option. He struggled in 2016, finishing with a 6.75 ERA in 32 games, but bounced back in 2017 with a 3.51 ERA in 71 appearances. In 2018, he set a career high with 77 games, and in 2019 he appeared in 77 games again, finishing 2–2 with a 2.79 ERA in 52 and two-thirds innings. A rough 2020 shortened season led to his trade to the Chicago Cubs on August 31, 2020.
Chicago Cubs Era (2020–2021)
Chafin pitched to a 3.00 ERA in four games for the Cubs to close out 2020. On February 2, 2021, he re-signed with the Cubs on a one-year, $2.25 million contract that included a mutual option for 2022. That season became the most memorable stretch of his career.
On June 24, 2021, Chafin was one of four Cubs pitchers, along with Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, and Craig Kimbrel, who combined to throw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 43 appearances for Chicago in 2021, he recorded a 2.06 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 39 and one-third innings. He was later traded to the Oakland Athletics on July 27, 2021, finishing the year with a combined 1.83 ERA across 71 games and 68 and two-thirds innings.
Detroit Tigers and Return to Arizona (2022–2023)
On March 17, 2022, Chafin signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Detroit Tigers. He made 64 appearances that year, posting 3 saves, a 2.83 ERA, and 67 strikeouts in 57 and one-third innings. On November 6, 2022, he opted out of the second year of the deal and became a free agent.
On February 15, 2023, Chafin signed a one-year contract to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the organization that had originally drafted him. He appeared in 43 games for Arizona, recording a 4.19 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 34 and one-third innings. On August 1, 2023, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for pitcher Peter Strzelecki. With Milwaukee, he appeared in 20 games, posting a 5.82 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 17 innings, before becoming a free agent after the season.
Tigers, Rangers, Nationals, and Angels (2024–2025)
On December 12, 2023, Chafin signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract with the Detroit Tigers that included a club option for 2025. In 41 appearances in 2024, he recorded a 3.16 ERA with 50 strikeouts across 37 innings. On July 30, 2024, he was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Chase Lee and Joseph Montalvo. In 21 games with Texas, he went 1–1 with a 4.19 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 19 and one-third innings. On November 4, 2024, the Rangers declined his option for 2025, making him a free agent again.
On February 24, 2025, Chafin signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers. In 13 appearances for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, he posted a 2–0 record and a 2.13 ERA with 17 strikeouts across 12 and two-thirds innings before being released on April 30. The next day, on May 1, 2025, he signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Washington Nationals. In 26 appearances, he posted a 2.70 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20 innings. On July 30, 2025, the Nationals traded Chafin and Luis García to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Jake Eder and Sam Brown. In 16 appearances for Los Angeles, he recorded a 1.98 ERA with 18 strikeouts across 13 and two-thirds innings.
Driving Style and Strengths
Andrew Gregory Chafin is a left-handed reliever who leans on a four-seam fastball and a two-seam sinking fastball, each averaging 92 to 94 MPH and topping out at 97 MPH. His main offspeed pitch is a mid-80s slider, which he uses to neutralize left-handed hitters. The combination of sink and slider has allowed him to thrive as a situational lefty out of the bullpen.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chafin’s signature moment came on June 24, 2021, when he helped the Chicago Cubs throw a combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers, working alongside Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera, and Craig Kimbrel. He also made his major league debut with a strong showing in 2014 and has now played for ten different MLB organizations, a sign of how respected his left-handed relief work has been across the league.
Andrew Chafin Career Wins
Through the 2025 season, Andrew Gregory Chafin has built a steady career as a left-handed reliever rather than as a starting pitcher, so his win totals reflect bullpen usage more than long outings. His overall major league record sits at 22–28, paired with a 3.35 earned run average and 591 strikeouts. His most memorable performance came in the 2021 combined no-hitter with the Chicago Cubs.
MLB Highlights
Chafin’s strongest season came in 2021, when he combined a 1.83 ERA with 71 appearances between the Cubs and Oakland Athletics. His first full year as a primary reliever was 2015, when he went 5–1 with a 2.76 ERA in 66 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His most recent work came in 2025, when he posted a 2.70 ERA with the Washington Nationals and a 1.98 ERA with the Los Angeles Angels, showing that he can still get outs in high-leverage spots.
Other Wins & Performances
In the minors, Chafin stood out with Orleans of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2011, then climbed through the Diamondbacks’ farm system before reaching the majors. His most recent minor league stop was a strong run with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens in 2025, where he went 2–0 with a 2.13 ERA in 13 appearances before returning to the majors.
Andrew Chafin Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Andrew Gregory Chafin grew up in Wakeman, Ohio, a small farming community in northern Ohio. His rural upbringing, along with the time he has spent in nearby Massillon, has shaped his identity as a small-town Midwestern athlete. He continues to be closely associated with his Ohio roots.
Personal Life
Chafin and his wife, Shelbi, have two daughters and a son. The family lives on a farm near Massillon, Ohio, where Chafin spends his time away from baseball. He is often described by teammates and fans as a country-oriented presence in the clubhouse, a fitting match for his “Big Country” nickname.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was another busy year of travel for Andrew Gregory Chafin. He opened the year in the Detroit Tigers system, pitching for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens and going 2–0 with a 2.13 ERA in 13 appearances before being released in late April. He quickly signed with the Washington Nationals on May 1, 2025, and gave the club 26 solid relief appearances, posting a 2.70 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 20 innings.
At the July 30 trade deadline, the Nationals sent Chafin and Luis García to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Jake Eder and Sam Brown. With Los Angeles, he continued to pitch effectively, recording a 1.98 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 16 appearances and 13 and two-thirds innings. Across the 2025 season between Washington and the Angels, he served as a dependable left-handed option out of the bullpen.
Chafin finished 2025 as a free agent once again, with the 2025 season adding more mileage to a career that has now covered ten different MLB organizations. His late-season form with the Angels suggested he still has value as a veteran left-handed reliever heading into future opportunities.
