Chayce McDermott Bio
Chayce Michael McDermott (born August 22, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed pitcher drafted in 2021, he first reached the majors with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 and was later acquired by the Dodgers in 2026. He is recognized for his strikeout ability, durability on the mound, and a successful climb through the minor leagues after an injury-shortened college career.
McDermott pitched at the collegiate level for Ball State University, where he earned All-Mid-American Conference recognition as a redshirt junior. He has since built a professional résumé that includes combined no-hitters in the minors, a 40-man roster promotion, and a transition from starting to relief work at the top level of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Chayce Michael McDermott was born on August 22, 1998, in Anderson, Indiana, where he grew up and developed his early love for sports. He attended Pendleton Heights High School, a program with a strong athletic tradition in central Indiana. Growing up in a competitive sports family helped shape his work ethic and approach to competition, and the Anderson community has remained a notable part of his personal story.
McDermott comes from a family with deep ties to basketball and coaching. His older brother, Sean McDermott, played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Memphis Grizzlies, and his uncle, Linc Darner, is a long-time college basketball coach. Another uncle, Tige Darner, scored more than 1,200 points for the Appalachian State Mountaineers. That background gave McDermott an early understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level, even as he chose to pursue baseball.
Path to Baseball
McDermott continued his baseball career at Ball State University, where he quickly faced a serious challenge. Before his freshman season, he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, an injury that required Tommy John surgery and forced him to redshirt the year. The recovery and the time away from competition tested his patience and dedication to the game, but it also allowed him to mature physically and mentally as a pitcher.
When he returned, McDermott steadily rebuilt his arm strength and his role with the Ball State Cardinals. As a redshirt junior, he went 8–2 with a 3.05 earned run average (ERA) and 125 strikeouts across 82 and two-thirds innings pitched, a performance that earned him second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors. That breakout season convinced professional scouts that he was ready for the next step, and he entered the 2021 MLB Draft as one of the more intriguing arms in the Mid-American Conference.
Chayce McDermott Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
McDermott was selected in the fourth round, with the 132nd overall pick, by the Houston Astros in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed with the team on July 17, 2021, and received a $375,000 signing bonus. After signing, he was assigned to the Rookie League Florida Complex League Astros, where he made one appearance before being promoted to the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
In 2022, McDermott began the year with the High-A Asheville Tourists. In 19 games and 10 starts, he compiled a 6–1 record and a 5.50 ERA with 114 strikeouts over 72 innings pitched. The strong strikeout totals and growing durability drew attention within the Houston Astros system and made him a notable trade asset heading into the summer of 2022.
Houston Astros to Baltimore Orioles (2022–2023)
The Houston Astros traded McDermott to the Baltimore Orioles on August 1, 2022, as part of a three-team deal that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays. In that transaction, the Astros acquired Trey Mancini from Baltimore and Jayden Murray from the Rays, the Rays received José Siri from Houston, and the Orioles also obtained Seth Johnson from Tampa Bay. Following the trade, Baltimore assigned McDermott to the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the High-A South Atlantic League, where he continued his development as a starter.
In 2023, McDermott split time between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, making 26 appearances with 20 starts and finishing the year with an 8–8 record, a 3.10 ERA, and 152 strikeouts. On May 19, 2023, while with Bowie, he was the starting pitcher for a combined no-hitter against the Altoona Curve, with Nolan Hoffman and Easton Lucas sealing the bid in relief. The performance cemented his reputation as a high-upside arm in the Baltimore farm system.
Baltimore Orioles Debut Era (2024–2025)
McDermott opened 2024 with Norfolk, where he delivered one of his most memorable outings on May 3. Against the Nashville Sounds, he struck out a career-high 11 batters and took a perfect game into the seventh inning of a 2–0 Tides victory, with Hoffman and Kaleb Ort finishing the combined no-hitter. It marked the second consecutive year in which he started a no-hitter. In 20 games and 19 starts for Norfolk, he posted a 3.96 ERA with 129 strikeouts across 91 innings pitched. On July 24, 2024, the Orioles selected McDermott to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time, marking his MLB debut season.
McDermott began the 2025 season on the injured list and split the year between Norfolk and Baltimore. He posted a 6.21 ERA for Norfolk across 25 games and 10 starts, while making four major league appearances for the Orioles, recording a 15.58 ERA over 8.2 innings. Heading into the next offseason, the organization began to evaluate his long-term role, and the decision was made to convert him into a relief pitcher in preparation for 2026.
Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2026–Present)
After being converted to a relief role, McDermott was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on March 3, 2026, prior to the start of the regular season. He struggled to a 6.75 ERA across five appearances, and on April 11, 2026, the Orioles designated him for assignment. The change opened the door for a fresh opportunity elsewhere, and on April 16, 2026, the Orioles traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for rookie league pitcher Axel Pérez.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers, McDermott joined a franchise known for player development and late-season bullpen additions. The trade gave him a chance to reset his career arc in a new organization, with a defined bullpen role and the support of a deep pitching infrastructure. His early major league work with the Dodgers showed glimpses of his strikeout potential, even as he continued to adjust to relief work at the highest level.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a former starter, McDermott brings a starter’s pitch mix and workload experience to a relief role, which allows him to attack hitters with multiple offerings rather than leaning on a single pitch. His swing-and-miss stuff, highlighted by a career-high 11-strikeout performance and a perfect-game bid into the seventh, is his defining trait. He has shown the ability to generate whiffs in bunches, work efficiently when his command is on, and handle high-pressure moments on the mound, including starting back-to-back combined no-hitters in 2023 and 2024.
Notable Events and Milestones
McDermott’s signature minor league moment came on May 3, 2024, when he took a perfect game into the seventh inning and finished with 11 strikeouts in a combined no-hitter for the Norfolk Tides. He is also one of the few pitchers in recent memory to start combined no-hitters in consecutive seasons, having done so with Bowie in 2023 and Norfolk in 2024. His selection to the Baltimore Orioles’ 40-man roster on July 24, 2024, marked his official arrival in Major League Baseball.
Chayce McDermott Career Wins
McDermott has compiled a professional résumé defined more by strikeouts, innings, and quality outings than by pure win totals. Across his time in the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles farm systems, he has been a consistent winner at the minor league level, including a 6–1 record with High-A Asheville in 2022 and an 8–8 mark split between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2023. His MLB work is still developing, and his career win totals will continue to grow as he establishes himself in the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen.
Minor League Highlights
McDermott’s minor league career has been highlighted by his time with the Asheville Tourists, Bowie Baysox, and Norfolk Tides. With Asheville in 2022, he went 6–1 and struck out 114 batters in 72 innings, an early sign of his swing-and-miss profile. With Bowie and Norfolk in 2023, he went 8–8 with a 3.10 ERA and 152 strikeouts, and he was the starting pitcher in a combined no-hitter against the Altoona Curve on May 19, 2023. In 2024, his 11-strikeout, perfect-game-bid outing for Norfolk stood as the high point of his run in the Baltimore system.
Other Performances
McDermott also earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference recognition during his redshirt junior season at Ball State University in 2021, going 8–2 with a 3.05 ERA and 125 strikeouts. That college performance served as the foundation for his draft stock and his subsequent rise through the minor leagues.
Chayce McDermott Family
Family Background and Athletic Lineage
McDermott comes from a family with a strong athletic background, particularly in basketball. His older brother, Sean McDermott, played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Memphis Grizzlies, and his uncle, Linc Darner, is a long-time college basketball coach. Another uncle, Tige Darner, scored more than 1,200 points for the Appalachian State Mountaineers. That family pedigree gave McDermott an early appreciation for competitive sports and the discipline required to play at a high level.
Personal Life
McDermott grew up in Anderson, Indiana, and remains closely tied to that community. He is known for his quiet, workmanlike approach to the game, and his family has been a steady presence throughout his baseball journey, from his high school days at Pendleton Heights to his professional career in the Astros, Orioles, and Dodgers organizations.
2025 Season Performance
McDermott’s 2025 season was a story of recovery and adjustment. He began the year on the injured list and spent extended time with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, where he posted a 6.21 ERA across 25 games and 10 starts. The work in Norfolk was designed to rebuild his arm strength and refine his approach after his first taste of major league action in 2024.
When called up to the majors, McDermott made four appearances for the Baltimore Orioles, logging 8.2 innings with a 15.58 ERA. The numbers were a reminder of the learning curve that comes with transitioning between levels, and the organization used the rest of the season to evaluate his long-term fit. Heading into 2026, the Orioles decided to convert him into a relief pitcher, setting the stage for his eventual trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers in April 2026.
McDermott’s outlook for 2025 and beyond centers on embracing the bullpen role and leaning on his strikeout ability to carve out a consistent major league niche. With a fresh start in the Dodgers organization, he has the opportunity to refine his relief arsenal, build trust in high-leverage spots, and grow into a dependable late-inning option.
