Casey Legumina Bio
Casey Davey Legumina, born June 19, 1997, is an American professional baseball pitcher who currently plays in Major League Baseball (MLB). He has pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Seattle Mariners, and is recognized for his journey through the minor leagues after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Legumina was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins and built his career as a reliever before reaching the majors.
Born and raised in Gilbert, Arizona, Legumina developed his pitching skills in the Southwest before continuing his career at the college level. His professional path has included stints with several MLB organizations, reflecting both his resilience and his ongoing development as a bullpen arm.
Early Life and Background
Casey Davey Legumina was born on June 19, 1997, in Gilbert, Arizona, where he continues to make his home. He grew up in a baseball family, as his father, Gary Legumina, pitched in the minor leagues from 1982 to 1986. Casey has credited his father with offering valuable advice on being a pitcher, and the two share a deep connection to the sport that has shaped Casey’s career from a young age.
Legumina attended Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona, where he made a strong impression as both a pitcher and a hitter. During his junior year, he set a school record by striking out 72 batters while also batting .345 and leading the team in on-base plus slugging. In his senior season in 2016, he batted .443 and earned All-District and All-Section first team honors as a designated hitter, though an injury prevented him from pitching or playing in the field that year.
Before beginning college, Legumina pitched in five summer baseball games for the Wenatchee AppleSox, gaining additional experience on the mound. The Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 25th round of the 2016 MLB draft, but he chose not to sign professionally, opting instead to continue his development at the collegiate level.
Path to Professional Baseball
Legumina attended Gonzaga University, where he played college baseball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. In his first season, he split time between relieving and starting, posting a 5.46 ERA while adjusting to the college game. As a sophomore in 2018, he transitioned into the closer role and set a school record with 12 saves, earning All-West Coast Conference first team recognition in the process.
That same year, the Cleveland Indians drafted Legumina in the 35th round of the 2018 MLB draft, but he again declined to sign professionally. He returned to Gonzaga for his final season, where he posted a 1.50 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 24 innings across four games before an arm injury cut his year short in March. During his college summers, he also gained valuable experience playing for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League, starting two games and allowing only one run in ten innings.
Casey Legumina Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
The Minnesota Twins selected Legumina in the eighth round, 239th overall, of the 2019 MLB draft, and he signed with a $250,000 bonus. Just two months after being drafted, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his pitching arm, which delayed his professional debut. The cancellation of the 2020 minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic further postponed his return to the mound.
Legumina finally made his professional debut in May 2021 with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, finishing the year with a combined 4–2 record and a 3.28 ERA across 15 games and nine starts between Fort Myers and the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. In 2022, he opened the season at Cedar Rapids and earned a promotion to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge, where he pitched 86⅓ innings across 33 games while battling an elbow contusion. On November 15, 2022, the Twins added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2023–2024)
On November 18, 2022, the Twins traded Legumina to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Kyle Farmer. He began the 2023 season with the Triple-A Louisville Bats before earning his first major league call-up on April 15, 2023. That day, he made his MLB debut by pitching the final two innings of a 13–0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, a meaningful moment that occurred on Jackie Robinson Day.
Legumina shuttled between Cincinnati and Louisville throughout 2023, making 11 appearances for the Reds and posting a 5.68 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 12⅔ innings. He earned his first MLB win on April 29, 2023, by throwing a scoreless eighth inning, though his season was interrupted by a right ankle contusion and right shoulder pain. In 2024, he struggled at the major league level with an 8.68 ERA across six appearances, and on January 30, 2025, the Reds designated him for assignment after signing Austin Hays.
Seattle Mariners Era (2025–2026)
On February 3, 2025, the Seattle Mariners acquired Legumina from the Reds in exchange for cash considerations, and he was added to the 40-man roster. He opened the year with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers before being recalled by Seattle on April 11, 2025. He debuted for the Mariners on April 15, 2025, exactly two years after his first MLB appearance.
Legumina made eight appearances for Seattle to begin the 2026 campaign, registering an 0-1 record and a 4.63 ERA with nine strikeouts across 11⅔ innings pitched. On April 21, 2026, the Mariners designated him for assignment, ending his time with the organization.
Tampa Bay Rays (2026–Present)
On April 24, 2026, Legumina was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Ty Cummings, giving him a fresh opportunity within a new organization. The move marked his third major league team in less than a full calendar year.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most meaningful moments of Legumina’s career came on April 15, 2023, when he made his MLB debut on Jackie Robinson Day, pitching in a 13–0 Cincinnati victory. He has a tattoo honoring that day, featuring Jackie Robinson’s retired number 42 alongside the smokestacks at Great American Ball Park, the very stadium where his big league journey began.
Casey Legumina Career Highlights
Major League Appearances
Legumina has appeared in the major leagues for the Cincinnati Reds, the Seattle Mariners, and the Tampa Bay Rays. He earned his first MLB win with Cincinnati on April 29, 2023, and has continued to work as a reliever at the highest level. His career has been marked by perseverance through injuries, including Tommy John surgery and multiple minor setbacks that tested his resolve.
Minor League Achievements
Across his time in the Twins system, Legumina posted a combined 4–2 record with a 3.28 ERA in 2021, followed by a 2–6 record and 4.80 ERA in 2022, earning recognition as a future bullpen option. He set a Gonzaga school record with 12 saves in 2018 and gained valuable experience in the Cape Cod League, where he allowed just one run in ten innings for the Bourne Braves.
Casey Legumina Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Legumina comes from a baseball family. His father, Gary Legumina, pitched in the minor leagues from 1982 to 1986 and has been a steady source of advice throughout Casey’s career. Casey has three siblings, Hannah, Luke, and Jake, and together the siblings are partners in a restaurant in Gilbert, Arizona, that is owned by their father.
Personal Life
Legumina was born and raised in Gilbert, Arizona, and continues to maintain ties to his hometown through family business interests. Growing up an Arizona Diamondbacks fan, he has cited Luis Gonzalez and Junior Spivey as his favorite players. He also carries personal reminders of his journey on his arms, including a tattoo of his father’s minor league baseball card and a tribute to his 2023 MLB debut on Jackie Robinson Day.
2025 Season Performance
Legumina entered the 2025 season with the Seattle Mariners after being acquired from Cincinnati in February. He began the year at Triple-A Tacoma before earning a promotion to the major league roster in mid-April, making his Mariners debut on April 15, 2025. His transition to a new organization gave him an opportunity to reset and compete for a consistent bullpen role.
He continued his work with Seattle into the 2026 campaign, appearing in eight games and posting a 4.63 ERA before being designated for assignment in April 2026. Shortly after, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, opening a new chapter in his career and giving him a chance to contribute to a third major league team.
