Cedric Mullins Bio
Boyce Cedric Mullins II, known professionally as Cedric Mullins, is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. He previously played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets. Mullins first reached the majors in 2018 and earned All-Star and Silver Slugger honors in 2021, when he became the first Oriole since the franchise moved from St. Louis to join the 30–30 club. He has built a reputation as a speedy, power-hitting center fielder who influences games on the bases, in the batter’s box, and with his glove.
Across his MLB career, Mullins has compiled a .244 batting average with 109 home runs, 358 runs batted in, and 159 stolen bases through mid-2026. Beyond the diamond, he has represented the United States in international competition and is known for his disciplined work ethic, analytical mind, and connection with fans.
Early Life and Background
Boyce Cedric Mullins II was born on October 1, 1994, in Snellville, Georgia, where he grew up and attended Brookwood High School. He developed a love for baseball in the Atlanta suburbs, a region that has produced a long list of MLB talent. As a young athlete, Mullins balanced competitive sports with a strong focus on academics, an emphasis that would follow him into college and his early professional years.
He was a multi-sport student-athlete in high school, but his speed and baseball instincts soon stood out, drawing the attention of college recruiters. His upbringing in a sports-minded Georgia community helped shape his competitive drive, and his family supported his ambition to pursue a professional career in baseball.
Path to Professional Baseball
After high school, Mullins began his college career at Louisburg College in North Carolina, where he excelled both in the classroom and on the field. He posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average, graduated Summa Cum Laude with an Associate of Arts in 2014, and played two seasons of college baseball. He later transferred to Campbell University, where he spent the 2015 season leading the Campbell Fighting Camels in batting average, runs scored, hits, doubles, and triples. He also gained summer experience in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League with the Utica Blue Sox.
Mullins’s blend of on-field production and athletic upside caught the eye of Major League scouts. In the 2015 MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the 13th round, 403rd overall, launching his professional career. His path through the minor leagues included stints with the Aberdeen IronBirds, Delmarva Shorebirds, Bowie Baysox, and Norfolk Tides, where he steadily refined his all-around game.
Cedric Mullins Career
Minor League Development (2015–2018)
Mullins made his professional debut in 2015 with the Low-A Aberdeen IronBirds, posting a .264 batting average with two home runs and 32 RBI in 68 games. He moved up to Single-A Delmarva in 2016, batting .273 with 14 home runs, 55 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in 124 games, showing the speed and pop that would define his big-league profile. In 2017, he played for the Double-A Bowie Baysox, batting .265 with 13 home runs, 37 RBI, and a .778 OPS in 76 games.
He began 2018 back at Bowie before earning a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk, and along the way he earned the colorful nickname “Parking Lot Ced” for the home runs he hit that left the ballpark entirely. The Orioles called him up to the major leagues on August 10, 2018, and he delivered an immediate impact in his debut against the Boston Red Sox, collecting three hits, two RBI, a walk, and three runs scored in a 19–12 loss. He became the first Oriole in franchise history to record three hits in his Major League debut.
Baltimore Orioles Breakthrough (2018–2021)
After struggling through 2019, when he bounced between Baltimore and the minors, Mullins earned his way back onto the Opening Day roster in 2020 and posted a respectable .271 average in the pandemic-shortened season. In February 2021, the Orioles announced that Mullins would give up switch-hitting and bat exclusively left-handed, a move that paid off almost immediately. On April 26, 2021, he hit his first career multi-home run game against the New York Yankees, and by early July he was named an All-Star for the first time, eventually starting the Midsummer Classic in center field as a replacement for the injured Mike Trout.
On September 24, 2021, Mullins became the first Orioles player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season since the franchise relocated from St. Louis, joining the prestigious 30–30 club. He finished 2021 slashing .291/.360/.518 with 30 home runs, 59 RBI, 37 doubles, and 30 stolen bases, and he led all major-league outfielders with 389 putouts. He was unanimously named the Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole, finished ninth in the American League MVP voting, and later won his first Silver Slugger Award.
Sustained Success in Baltimore (2022–2024)
Mullins continued to produce for Baltimore in 2022, highlighted by his first career grand slam on April 12 off Milwaukee’s Eric Lauer, and he finished the year slashing .258/.318/.403 with 16 home runs, 64 RBI, and 34 stolen bases. In 2023, he became the seventh player in Orioles history to hit for the cycle, going 5-for-5 with a single, triple, double, and three-run homer in a 6–3 home win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 12. He also returned from the injured list to make a game-saving catch against Seattle and hit a clutch three-run homer in Houston late in the season.
He opened 2024 with his first career walk-off home run against the Minnesota Twins on April 17, then added a walk-off double in July to help stop a five-game losing streak heading into the All-Star break. In the 2024 American League Wild Card Series against the Kansas City Royals, Mullins scored the Orioles’ only run of the series with a solo homer off Seth Lugo in Game 2. He finished 2024 slashing .234/.305/.405 with 18 home runs, 54 RBI, and 32 stolen bases while posting a .996 fielding percentage in center field.
New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays (2025–2026)
On July 31, 2025, the Orioles traded Mullins to the New York Mets in a deal that brought back prospects Raimon Gómez, Anthony Nunez, and Chandler Marsh. In 42 appearances with New York, he slashed .182/.284/.281 with two home runs, 10 RBI, and eight stolen bases, and on July 26, 2025, before the trade, he had launched his 100th career home run in an 18–0 win over the Colorado Rockies. That milestone made him only the third Oriole in franchise history to combine 100 home runs with 100 stolen bases, joining Brady Anderson and Paul Blair.
On December 6, 2025, Mullins signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, beginning a new chapter in his career. He joined the Rays as a veteran center fielder and base-stealing catalyst, eager to help anchor the team’s outfield in 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mullins is a left-handed hitting center fielder whose game is built on a combination of plate discipline, power to all fields, and elite straight-line speed. He has been an aggressive and efficient base stealer throughout his career, ranking among the top outfielders in putouts thanks to his route-running and range in center. His switch away from right-handed hitting unlocked a more powerful, consistent swing, and his high on-base percentage fuels his running game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Mullins’s 30–30 season in 2021, his cycle against the Pirates in 2023, and his 100th career home run with 100 stolen bases in 2025 stand as the signature accomplishments of his big-league resume. He is also the first Oriole ever to record three hits in his MLB debut and has represented the United States at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Cedric Mullins Career Wins
While “wins” in baseball apply to pitchers, Mullins’s offensive and defensive contributions are often credited as win-impact plays. He has accumulated 109 career home runs and 159 stolen bases through mid-2026, ranking among the most productive all-around center fielders of his generation.
MLB Highlights
His biggest MLB highlight came in 2021, when he made his first All-Star team, won a Silver Slugger Award, and joined the 30–30 club with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He added a cycle in 2023, multiple walk-off hits in 2024, and a milestone 100th career home run in 2025.
International and Other Performances
Mullins played in five games for the United States at the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami, batting .200/.200/.700 with a home run, a triple, and 2 RBI. He also starred in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League for the Utica Blue Sox before entering professional baseball.
Cedric Mullins Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Mullins married his longtime girlfriend, Erika Hardy, in November 2022. The couple welcomed their daughter in December 2023, and the family also includes a dog named Lilo. A self-described fan of anime, Mullins has cited Naruto as a source of inspiration in both his childhood and professional career. He graduated from Campbell University with a degree in business administration and has said that engineering might have been his chosen path had he not played professional baseball.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was one of transition for Mullins, beginning in Baltimore where he played 91 games and batted .229/.305/.443 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI, and 14 steals before the trade deadline. On July 26, 2025, he hit his 100th career home run in a blowout win over the Colorado Rockies, becoming just the third Oriole in franchise history with 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. He was then dealt to the New York Mets on July 31, where he appeared in 42 games and continued to provide speed and veteran outfield defense, though his offensive production dipped in the National League.
His steady glove and base-running gave both clubs a stabilizing presence, and his track record of prior All-Star play reinforced his value as a two-way center fielder. By season’s end, Mullins was widely viewed as a low-risk, high-upside free agent target for clubs seeking a proven leadoff-style catalyst.
Looking ahead, the one-year, $7 million contract he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays positions Mullins to handle a major share of playing time in center field, set the table for the Rays’ young lineup, and chase another 20–20 or 30–30 season while staying healthy and productive. The deal also offers both sides flexibility, with Mullins able to re-enter the open market after the season if he delivers a strong bounce-back year.
