Emilio Pagán Bio
Emilio Enrique Pagán, born May 7, 1991, is an American professional baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. A right-handed reliever who has also handled closer duties, Pagán has spent his big-league career moving across the American League and National League, suiting up for the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, and Minnesota Twins before arriving in Cincinnati. Beyond his club work, he represents Puerto Rico in international competition and was part of the team that earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Across his MLB career, Pagán has built a reputation as a strike-throwing reliever capable of finishing games, and his career statistics through recent seasons include a 30–27 win–loss record, a 3.68 earned run average, 591 strikeouts, and 71 saves. He wears uniform number 15 for the Cincinnati Reds and remains active in the major leagues as of 2025.
Early Life and Background
Emilio Enrique Pagán was born on May 7, 1991, and grew up in the United States, where he developed into a professional pitching prospect during his teenage years. He attended J. L. Mann High School in Greenville, South Carolina, where he played high school baseball and began drawing attention from college and professional scouts. His time at J. L. Mann gave him the foundation to continue his career at the next level, and he progressed into college baseball as a drafted-and-signed arm.
After completing high school, Pagán played college baseball at Belmont Abbey College, a small program that has produced several professional players. His work at Belmont Abbey refined his command and his approach on the mound, and it set the stage for his entry into professional baseball. The combination of high school preparation and college development positioned him as a credible professional prospect by the time he became draft-eligible in 2013.
Path to Professional Baseball
Pagán’s path to the majors officially began in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, when he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 10th round. The Mariners signed him that summer, and he made his professional debut that same year with the Pulaski Mariners of the rookie-level Appalachian League. By August, the organization had promoted him to the Everett AquaSox, and across 26.1 relief innings in his first professional season, he went 1–1 with a 1.03 earned run average and 35 strikeouts, an impressive opening chapter to his minor-league career.
He continued moving up the Mariners’ system in 2014, pitching for the Clinton LumberKings and posting a 2–3 record with a 2.89 earned run average across 42 relief appearances. The following season, in 2015, he pitched for the Bakersfield Blaze and worked to a 3–8 record with a 2.53 earned run average, showing improved run prevention even as his win–loss line was hurt by bullpen context. In 2016, Pagán split time between the Jackson Generals and the Tacoma Rainiers, combining for a 5–3 record and a 2.49 earned run average in 65 innings out of the bullpen, a performance that put him on the cusp of a major-league opportunity.
Emilio Pagán Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Before reaching the majors, Pagán had been on Puerto Rico’s roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic, where he helped his national team capture a silver medal. He began that same season with the Tacoma Rainiers and was promoted to the major leagues on May 2, 2017. On May 3, 2017, he made his MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners against the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field, marking the first appearance of his big-league career.
During his rookie year, the Mariners shuttled him between Tacoma and Seattle multiple times before recalling him for the remainder of the season on July 7. In 34 relief appearances for Seattle in 2017, he went 2–3 with a 3.22 earned run average, while pitching 23 games for Tacoma with a 2–1 record and a 2.56 earned run average. On November 15, 2017, the Mariners traded him, along with Alexander Campos, to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Ryon Healy, beginning a string of mid-winter transactions that shaped his career path.
Tampa Bay Rays Breakthrough (2019–2020)
On December 21, 2018, the Athletics traded Pagán to the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team deal that also sent Jurickson Profar to Oakland and several pieces to the Texas Rangers. He opened 2019 in Triple-A with the Durham Bulls after an impressive spring training, but he was recalled to the majors on April 16 when Blake Snell fractured his toe. After a brief option and quick return, Pagán settled into the Tampa Bay bullpen and eventually became the team’s closer, finishing the 2019 season with 20 saves.
Across 2019, Pagán posted a 2.31 earned run average and recorded 96 strikeouts in 70 innings, establishing himself as a late-inning force and a breakthrough performer for the Rays. His rise from depth option to closer marked the most decisive stretch of his career to that point, and his power arm drew attention across the league heading into the next offseason.
San Diego Padres Era (2020–2021)
On February 8, 2020, the Rays traded Pagán to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Manuel Margot and Logan Driscoll, sending him to the National League. His first season in San Diego was a study in contrasts. Through August 20, 2020, he had blown four saves and carried a 7.36 earned run average, but he steadied himself from that point on, recording 10 of 11 scoreless innings and finishing the year with a 1.64 earned run average down the stretch. He closed 2020 with a 4.50 earned run average for the Padres.
The 2021 season was more difficult, as Pagán finished the year with a 4.83 earned run average in a Padres uniform, and San Diego opted to reshape its bullpen in the following offseason. His time in San Diego showed flashes of dominance but also illustrated the volatility that often comes with late-inning relief work.
Minnesota Twins Era (2022–2023)
On April 7, 2022, the Padres traded Pagán, along with Chris Paddack and a player to be named later, to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Taylor Rogers, Brent Rooker, and cash considerations. The player to be named later in the deal was minor-league pitcher Brayan Medina. In his first season with the Twins, Pagán went 4–6 with a 4.43 earned run average in 59 relief appearances, also recording nine saves as a steady presence in the Minnesota bullpen.
On January 13, 2023, the Twins and Pagán avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million contract, and he delivered a stronger follow-up season in 2023. He went 5–2 with a 2.99 earned run average and recorded one save, and on September 30, 2023, he made his first career major-league start as an opener against the Colorado Rockies. The outing added a new chapter to his pitching profile and gave Minnesota a versatile arm in the late-season bullpen.
Cincinnati Reds Era (2024–Present)
On December 1, 2023, the Cincinnati Reds signed Pagán to a one-year contract that included an option for a second season, bringing him to the National League Central. He began the 2024 season pitching out of Cincinnati’s bullpen, compiling a 4.43 earned run average with 26 strikeouts across 22 games. On June 9, he was placed on the injured list with a right lat strain, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 27. The Reds activated him on August 10, allowing him to return to the bullpen and finish out the year.
On December 4, 2025, Pagán re-signed with Cincinnati on a two-year, $20 million contract, signaling the organization’s confidence in him as a veteran arm. He continued to serve in relief for the Reds, wearing uniform number 15, and remained an established late-inning option for the club.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pagán works primarily as a power reliever whose best stretch came when he was used in high-leverage late-inning situations with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019. He generates swings and misses with his strikeout arsenal, which is reflected in his career total of 591 strikeouts, and he has shown the willingness to pitch multiple innings or even open a game, as he did with the Twins in 2023. His arm strength and experience in the closer’s role make him a dependable late-game option for Cincinnati’s bullpen.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Pagán’s career are his MLB debut on May 3, 2017, his 20-save season as Tampa Bay’s closer in 2019, and his first career major-league start as an opener on September 30, 2023, against the Colorado Rockies. Internationally, his silver medal with Puerto Rico at the 2017 World Baseball Classic stands as a signature achievement, and his two-year, $20 million re-signing with the Cincinnati Reds in December 2025 marks the most significant contract of his professional career.
Emilio Pagán Career Wins
Emilio Pagán’s career win total of 30 reflects his long track record as a reliable relief pitcher across six major-league organizations. While he is not primarily defined by wins, his ability to take down late-inning decisions and finish games has been a recurring theme of his career, from his rookie year with the Seattle Mariners to his multi-year stint with the Cincinnati Reds.
Tampa Bay Rays Highlights
Pagán’s most decorated single season came in 2019, when he served as the Tampa Bay Rays’ closer and recorded 20 saves. He also posted a 2.31 earned run average and 96 strikeouts in 70 innings, establishing himself as one of the most effective relievers in the American League that year. That breakthrough remains the standard against which his later bullpen work is measured.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond Tampa Bay, Pagán has delivered important relief outings for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins, and Cincinnati Reds, including a 5–2 record with a 2.99 earned run average in 2023 and a steady presence in the Minnesota bullpen during the 2022 season. Internationally, his two scoreless innings at the 2017 World Baseball Classic helped Puerto Rico earn a silver medal, and he added a scoreless inning at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, helping his national team reach the quarterfinals.
Emilio Pagán Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public details about Emilio Pagán’s parents and immediate family are not widely confirmed in available sources. He is an American by nationality, born in 1991, and he represents Puerto Rico in international baseball, reflecting a personal connection to the island’s baseball tradition. His long career across multiple major-league cities has made him a familiar face in clubhouses throughout both the American League and the National League.
2025 Season Performance
Emilio Pagán entered 2025 as a returning member of the Cincinnati Reds bullpen after re-signing with the club on a two-year, $20 million contract in December 2025. His 2024 season was interrupted by a right lat strain that sent him to the injured list in June and the 60-day injured list later that month before he returned in August, and his work in 2025 has been focused on re-establishing himself as a steady late-inning option in Cincinnati.
Across his full big-league tenure, Pagán has compiled a 30–27 win–loss record, a 3.68 earned run average, 591 strikeouts, and 71 saves, numbers that reflect the durability of a reliever who has taken the mound in every major-league season since 2017. With Cincinnati continuing to build around a veteran bullpen, Pagán’s combination of closing experience and multi-inning flexibility gives the Reds a dependable arm to deploy in high-leverage situations.