Dillon Tate Bio
Dillon Michael Tate, born on May 1, 1994, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays. A former first-round pick, Tate was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 2015 MLB draft after a successful college career with the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Across his MLB career, Tate has appeared in relief roles, demonstrating value as a versatile arm out of the bullpen. He made his major league debut in 2019 and has since navigated several trades, contract agreements, and roster moves while compiling a 7–14 win–loss record, a 4.09 earned run average (ERA), and 178 strikeouts through the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
Dillon Michael Tate grew up in California and attended Claremont High School, where he graduated in 2012. Although he made the school’s baseball team as a freshman, he received limited playing time early on, which pushed him to seek additional development outside the high school program. That search led him to the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California, where he trained to sharpen his skills and add strength to his frame. Despite his dedication, Tate went undrafted out of high school, an experience that motivated him to pursue college baseball.
After high school, Tate enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara, joining the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. The Gauchos and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles were the only two Division I programs to extend him a scholarship offer. As a freshman, he appeared in just four games, pitching three innings with a 9.00 ERA. That summer, a focused weight training regimen helped him grow from 165 pounds to 200 pounds, transforming his physical presence on the mound.
Path to Professional Baseball
Tate’s college trajectory shifted dramatically during his sophomore year, when he served as the Gauchos’ closer and posted a 1.45 ERA with 12 saves and 46 strikeouts. Entering his junior season expected to close again, he was converted into a starting pitcher following an injury to one of the team’s starters. The transition paid off, as he started 14 games in 2015, logging an 8–5 record, a 2.26 ERA, and 111 strikeouts in 103 and one-third innings. His performance that spring positioned him as one of the top prospects in the 2015 MLB draft class.
The Texas Rangers selected Tate with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft, and he signed on June 12, earning a $4.2 million signing bonus. He made his professional debut with the Spokane Indians of the Low–A Northwest League before being promoted to the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League in 2016. With Hickory, he pitched 65 innings, recording a 5.12 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and 27 walks, while dealing with a strained hamstring that cost him time on the disabled list.
Dillon Tate Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
On August 1, 2016, the Texas Rangers traded Dillon Tate and fellow prospects Erik Swanson and Nick Green to the New York Yankees in exchange for veteran outfielder Carlos Beltrán. The Yankees assigned Tate to the Single–A Charleston RiverDogs of the South Atlantic League, where he worked as a reliever alongside pitching coach Justin Pope, who helped him refine mechanics aimed at restoring his fastball velocity. In 17 and one-third innings with Charleston, Tate posted a 3.12 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He closed the year with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League and was named to the Fall Stars Game.
Tate missed the start of the 2017 season with a sore shoulder but returned to make nine starts for the Tampa Yankees of the High–A Florida State League, pitching to a 2.62 ERA. In August, the Yankees promoted him to the Trenton Thunder of the Double–A Eastern League, where he finished the year with a 1–2 record and a 3.24 ERA across 25 innings. Those stretches in High–A and Double–A cemented his standing as a prospect on the rise within the Yankees organization.
New York to Baltimore Transition (2018–2019)
On July 24, 2018, the New York Yankees traded Dillon Tate, Cody Carroll, and Josh Rogers to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for relief pitcher Zack Britton. Tate split the 2018 season between the Trenton Thunder and the Double–A Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League, accumulating a 7–5 record with a 4.16 ERA in 123 and one-third innings. On November 20, the Orioles added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, signaling their long-term interest in his development.
Tate returned to Bowie to open the 2019 season and earned his first major league promotion on July 26, 2019. He made his MLB debut on July 29, allowing three runs over two innings pitched. He finished his rookie year with a 6.43 ERA across 16 appearances, gaining valuable experience against big-league hitters. In 2020, he pitched in 12 games for Baltimore, posting a 3.24 ERA with 14 strikeouts, hinting at the consistency he would later find in the bullpen.
Baltimore Orioles Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Tate took on a larger workload in 2021, appearing in 62 games for the Orioles and registering an 0–6 record with a 4.39 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 67 and two-thirds innings. The 2022 season became his most productive year in the major leagues, as he appeared in 67 games for Baltimore, posting a 4–4 record and a 3.05 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 5 saves across 73 and two-thirds innings. That performance established him as a reliable late-inning option and a foundational piece of the Orioles’ bullpen.
On January 13, 2023, Tate agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with Baltimore, avoiding salary arbitration. However, on February 16, the Orioles announced that he had suffered a flexor strain in late November, an injury that forced him to miss the first month of the 2023 season. He worked his way back into the bullpen, but the 2024 campaign proved more challenging. In 29 appearances, he posted a 4.59 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 33 and one-third innings, and on August 28, 2024, he was designated for assignment after Baltimore acquired Forrest Wall.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2024–2025)
On September 1, 2024, Dillon Tate was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays, giving him a fresh opportunity in a new organization. In four appearances for Toronto, he logged a 5.40 ERA with four strikeouts over three and one-third innings. On November 22, the Blue Jays non-tendered Tate, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.
On March 12, 2025, Tate re-signed with the Blue Jays on a one-year, $1.4 million contract and was optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons to begin the season. In five appearances for Toronto, he recorded a 5.06 ERA with seven strikeouts across five and one-third innings before being designated for assignment on May 9. After clearing waivers, he was sent outright to Buffalo on May 12. The Blue Jays added him back to their active roster on September 1 before outrighting him to the minors on November 6, 2025. Tate elected to become a free agent, opening the next chapter of his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Dillon Tate is recognized for his power pitching profile, with a fastball that has historically ranged from 92 to 98 miles per hour. His ability to generate swing-and-miss stuff has made him most effective in short relief outings, where he can attack hitters with his heater and a complementary breaking ball. As his 2022 season showed, when he logged a 3.05 ERA and 5 saves across 67 appearances, his craft fits the late-inning reliever mold when his mechanics and velocity are in sync.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Dillon Tate’s career came in 2015, when the Texas Rangers selected him with the fourth overall pick in the MLB draft, validating his rapid rise from undrafted high schooler to top college prospect. His MLB debut on July 29, 2019, marked the culmination of years of development across multiple minor league stops. His 2022 breakout, in which he set career highs in innings and saves, stands as his signature major league season to date.
Dillon Tate Career Highlights
MLB Highlights
Through the 2025 season, Dillon Tate has compiled a 7–14 win–loss record, a 4.09 ERA, and 178 strikeouts across his major league appearances with the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. His most prolific year came in 2022, when he posted a 4–4 record and a 3.05 ERA with 5 saves in 67 games, demonstrating his value as a multi-inning reliever. The 2020 shortened season also produced a strong 3.24 ERA across 12 appearances, reinforcing his ability to perform in high-leverage spots when healthy.
Other Performances
Beyond the major leagues, Tate gained recognition representing the United States at the 2014 Haarlem Baseball Week, an international showcase. His minor league résumé includes stops in Spokane, Hickory, Charleston, Tampa, Trenton, Bowie, and Buffalo, where he steadily refined his mechanics and command. A standout 2015 junior season at UC Santa Barbara, with an 8–5 record and 111 strikeouts, remains a hallmark of his pre-professional career.
Dillon Tate Family
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Dillon Michael Tate’s personal life remains limited. He has not publicly disclosed details regarding a spouse, partner, or children, and his personal residence is not confirmed in available sources. He was born on May 1, 1994, and raised in California, where he built the foundation for his baseball career through local high school play and dedicated training at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented another chapter of transition for Dillon Tate, beginning with his one-year, $1.4 million re-signing with the Toronto Blue Jays on March 12, 2025. He opened the year at Triple-A Buffalo before earning a call-up to Toronto, where he posted a 5.06 ERA with seven strikeouts across five and one-third innings in five appearances. His major league time was cut short when he was designated for assignment on May 9, after which he cleared waivers and was sent outright to Buffalo on May 12.
Tate returned to the Blue Jays’ active roster on September 1, providing late-season depth to the bullpen. On November 6, 2025, Toronto outrighted him to the minors, and he elected free agency, ending his Blue Jays tenure. The 2025 campaign underscored the challenges of maintaining consistent major league opportunities, while also highlighting his resilience in navigating roster moves and contributing whenever called upon.