Casey Lee Lawrence Bio
Casey Lee Lawrence (born October 28, 1987), nicknamed “Twig,” is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. A right-handed pitcher who stands out for his strikeout ability and his willingness to bounce between organizations, Lawrence has pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals. He has also competed internationally, representing the United States in the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament, and briefly played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Over the course of his career, Lawrence has built a reputation as a dependable minor league innings-eater and a journeyman big leaguer who keeps returning to the mound.
Early Life and Background
Casey Lee Lawrence was born on October 28, 1987, in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania, a small borough in Adams County. He grew up in the same community where he later attended Delone Catholic High School, a Catholic school known for its athletic programs in southern Pennsylvania. Lawrence developed his love for baseball in McSherrystown, training in local youth leagues before reaching high school competition.
After completing high school, Lawrence was not selected in the Major League Baseball draft. He chose to continue his baseball career at Albright College, a Division III school in Reading, Pennsylvania. At Albright, he played both pitcher and first base during his four seasons. As a pitcher, he compiled an 18–8 win–loss record and a 2.81 earned run average across 256 and two-thirds innings, and he set the program’s all-time strikeout record with 251. As a first baseman, he batted .256 with four home runs and 41 runs batted in. Lawrence also played college basketball during his first year at Albright before committing fully to baseball.
Path to Professional Baseball
Lawrence’s route to the professional ranks was unconventional. Undrafted out of Delone Catholic High School, he later went undrafted again after his college career at Albright. In 2010, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent, receiving a plane ticket to Dunedin, Florida, in lieu of a traditional signing bonus. That opportunity launched a long climb through Toronto’s minor league system, beginning at the Low-A level with the Auburn Doubledays.
Over his first season, Lawrence went 7–2 with a 2.33 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 77 and one-third innings, earning a mid-season All-Star nod and a promotion to the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts. His strong start opened the door to higher levels of the minor leagues and, eventually, his MLB debut seven years later.
Casey Lee Lawrence Career
Early Career (2010–2016)
Lawrence spent the early portion of his career developing within the Toronto Blue Jays farm system. He pitched at multiple levels, including stints with the Lansing Lugnuts, the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays, the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. In 2011, he turned his season around after a slow start, going 9–1 with a 1.93 ERA from July 1 onward. He made brief appearances for Dunedin in each of the following seasons while continuing to refine his craft in New Hampshire.
In August 2015, Lawrence set the all-time wins record with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats after earning his 20th career win as a member of the club. He also pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League with the Bravos de Margarita during three consecutive offseasons. By 2016, Lawrence had reached Triple-A for an extended stay, splitting the year between the Bisons and the Fisher Cats. That offseason, he elected free agency before quickly re-signing with the Blue Jays organization.
Toronto Blue Jays (2017)
On April 8, 2017, the Blue Jays called Lawrence up to the majors, and he made his MLB debut that night against the Tampa Bay Rays. He took the loss after walking in the winning run in the 11th inning. The Blue Jays designated him for assignment on May 8, ending his first stint with Toronto after 13 and one-third innings pitched at the major league level.
Seattle Mariners (2017–2018)
On May 11, 2017, the Seattle Mariners claimed Lawrence off waivers. He quickly made an impact, setting a Mariners franchise record on June 1 for most strikeouts in a single relief appearance when he fanned nine batters over five innings against the Colorado Rockies. On August 1, Lawrence earned his first major league win, pitching two and one-third innings of relief against the Texas Rangers in an 8–7 victory. He elected free agency at the end of the season and signed a minor league deal with Seattle.
Lawrence made the Mariners’ Opening Day roster in 2018 and went 1–0 with a 7.33 ERA in 11 games. On November 29, 2018, the Mariners released him so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan.
Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2019)
In December 2018, Lawrence signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball. He appeared in only one game for the Carp in 2019, allowing six runs over five innings, while pitching in 21 games for the team’s minor league affiliate in the Western League. He became a free agent again on December 2, 2019.
Minnesota Twins (2020)
Lawrence signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on January 28, 2020, and was released before the season began. He re-signed with the Twins on August 10 and was assigned to the club’s alternate training site in St. Paul during the shortened 2020 campaign. He did not appear in a game for the Twins before becoming a free agent on November 2.
Toronto Blue Jays (2021–2023)
In March 2021, Lawrence signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, but the Blue Jays purchased his contract on May 19 and assigned him to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He opened the 2022 season in Buffalo before joining the active MLB roster on May 4. After a brief return to the minors, he re-signed with Toronto on a minor league deal in January 2023 and pitched for Buffalo before exercising his opt-out clause in July.
St. Louis Cardinals (2023)
On July 20, 2023, Lawrence signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. After three starts for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals selected his contract on August 15 following Steven Matz’s placement on the injured list. In 15 games for St. Louis, he posted a 6.59 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 27 and one-third innings. He elected free agency at season’s end.
Seattle Mariners (2024)
Lawrence signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners on February 7, 2024, that included an invitation to spring training. He spent the entire season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, going 11–11 with a 5.95 ERA and 108 strikeouts across 165 innings in 29 starts. He also won a three-point shooting contest during Mariners spring training that year. Lawrence became a free agent in November and re-signed with Seattle on a new minor league deal.
2025 Season Activity
The 2025 season has been a whirlwind for Lawrence. He began the year with Triple-A Tacoma before the Mariners added him to the active roster on April 9. Over the next several weeks, he was designated for assignment, claimed by Toronto, and then shuttled back and forth between Seattle and Tacoma multiple times in a pattern of roster moves. On April 29, he made one appearance for Toronto, allowing three runs on six hits against the Boston Red Sox, before being designated for assignment the next day.
Lawrence returned to Seattle and was repeatedly added to and removed from the Mariners’ active roster throughout April, May, and June. He went 1–2 with a 4.08 ERA in 17 and two-thirds innings across six major league appearances in 2025. After returning to Triple-A, he threw a complete-game two-hitter on July 24, becoming the first 37-year-old to do so in Triple-A since Ramón Ortiz in 2010. Lawrence elected free agency after the 2025 season and re-signed with the Mariners on November 27.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lawrence’s career is full of small milestones that reflect his longevity. He set a Mariners franchise record for most strikeouts in a single relief appearance in 2017, set the all-time wins record for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2015, and became the first 37-year-old to throw a complete-game two-hitter in Triple-A since 2010. He also represented the United States at the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament, pitching six shutout innings in the bronze medal victory over Venezuela and earning the USA Baseball International Performance of the Year Award.
Casey Lee Lawrence Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Lawrence and his wife, Sarah, have two children, and the couple announced in 2025 that they are expecting a third child in September. The family has remained based in the Pacific Northwest during his multiple stints with the Seattle Mariners. Lawrence’s mother and father raised him in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania, where he developed his early love of baseball before attending Albright College.
2025 Season Performance
Lawrence’s 2025 season was defined by constant movement between Triple-A Tacoma and the major league roster. He pitched in six MLB games, going 1–2 with a 4.08 ERA across 17 and two-thirds innings, while spending the bulk of his season anchoring the Tacoma rotation. His most notable big league appearance came on May 20 against the Chicago White Sox, when he threw five innings of one-run relief behind an opener. He was designated for assignment a record six times during the 2025 campaign.
His Triple-A work was equally impressive. On July 24, Lawrence delivered a complete-game two-hitter, becoming the first 37-year-old to accomplish that feat in Triple-A since Ramón Ortiz in 2010. The performance underscored the durability that has defined his late-career renaissance. Despite the constant roster churn, Lawrence remained productive at both levels.
Following the 2025 season, Lawrence elected free agency on November 6 before quickly re-signing with the Mariners on a minor league contract on November 27. His return sets the stage for another season in Seattle’s organization, where he is expected to once again serve as a reliable innings-eater for the Tacoma Rainiers and a dependable depth option for the Mariners’ major league pitching staff.
