Bryan Baker Bio
Bryan Scott Baker (born December 2, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles.
Early Life and Background
Bryan Scott Baker was born on December 2, 1994, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He is the son of Scott and Cathy Baker, and he has an older sister named Chelsea. His grandfather, Ed Baker, played football at Auburn University, and his cousin, Matt Krembel, played golf at Army, giving Baker a family connection to competitive collegiate athletics.
Baker grew up in Fort Walton Beach and attended Choctawhatchee High School, where he developed as a two-sport athlete. He was a standout in both baseball and basketball during his prep years, which helped build the athletic foundation he would later carry into pitching.
Path to Baseball
Baker drew early professional interest when the Pittsburgh Pirates selected him in the 40th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft, but he opted not to sign and instead honored his commitment to play college baseball. He spent the next three seasons pitching for the North Florida Ospreys, where he steadily developed into a top-tier college arm.
As a junior at North Florida, Baker was named first team All-Atlantic Sun Conference after posting a 6–4 record and a conference-leading 2.27 earned run average with 80 strikeouts. Over the course of his collegiate career he compiled a 14–10 record with a 3.67 ERA and 144 strikeouts. He also sharpened his game through collegiate summer baseball, playing for the Danville Dans of the Prospect League in 2014 and the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2015, both respected developmental circuits.
Bryan Baker Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Baker was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 11th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft and signed with the organization. After signing he was assigned to the Grand Junction Rockies of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he began his professional development.
In 2017, Baker moved up to the Asheville Tourists of the Single-A South Atlantic League, and that season marked a key transition as the organization moved him to the bullpen. He responded with a 1.66 ERA, signaling that his future in pro ball would likely come in relief. He opened the 2018 season with the High-A Lancaster JetHawks before his path shifted to a new organization.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2018–2021)
On August 14, 2018, Baker was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays as the player to be named later to complete a trade for Seung-hwan Oh. Toronto assigned him to the Dunedin Blue Jays of the High-A Florida State League, where he posted a 2.84 ERA across six appearances.
Baker opened 2019 with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats before a midseason promotion to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, where he logged a 3.68 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 22 innings. He did not appear in an official game in 2020 after the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spending the year instead at Toronto’s Alternate Training Site. He returned to Buffalo to start 2021, and on September 1, 2021, the Blue Jays selected him to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the majors. On September 5, 2021, Baker made his MLB debut against the Oakland Athletics, tossing a scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2021–2025)
On November 8, 2021, Baker was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles, the organization where he would spend the bulk of his major league career. He made an immediate impact in 2022, earning his first career win on April 23 in a 5–4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. On September 6, he stirred a benches-clearing moment against his former Blue Jays club after striking out a pair and gesturing toward the Toronto dugout. He closed the year by pitching a scoreless ninth in the first game of a doubleheader against Toronto to record his first career save, finishing 2022 with a 4–3 record, a 3.49 ERA, and 76 strikeouts across 66 relief appearances.
Baker appeared in 46 games out of the bullpen for Baltimore in 2023, posting a 4–3 record and a 3.60 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched. He began 2024 with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides before returning to the majors, where he logged 19 relief outings with a 1–1 record, a 5.01 ERA, and 23 strikeouts across 23⅓ innings. In the early part of 2025, Baker appeared in 42 games for the Orioles, going 3–2 with a 3.52 ERA, 49 strikeouts, and two saves in 38⅓ innings, cementing himself as a trusted late-inning reliever before his midseason move.
Tampa Bay Rays Era (2025–Present)
On July 10, 2025, the Baltimore Orioles traded Bryan Baker to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a competitive balance draft pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The move gave Baker a fresh opportunity in a contending American League East bullpen.
Down the stretch for Tampa Bay, Baker made 31 appearances and posted a 1–2 record with a 4.75 ERA, 34 strikeouts, and one save across 30⅓ innings pitched. The stint gave the Rays a hard-throwing veteran arm for the closing weeks of the regular season and positioned Baker as a key bullpen piece heading into his first full offseason with the organization.
Notable Events and Milestones
Baker’s first career MLB appearance came on September 5, 2021, against the Oakland Athletics, where he delivered a scoreless inning and recorded a strikeout. He later earned his first major league win on April 23, 2022, against the Los Angeles Angels, and recorded his first career save on the final day of the 2022 regular season against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Bryan Baker Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Baker is the son of Scott and Cathy Baker and has an older sister, Chelsea. His grandfather, Ed Baker, played football at Auburn University, and his cousin, Matt Krembel, played golf at Army, embedding Baker in a family with a deep tradition of collegiate athletics.
2025 Season Performance
Baker’s 2025 campaign began in the Baltimore Orioles bullpen, where he appeared in 42 games and posted a 3–2 record with a 3.52 ERA, 49 strikeouts, and two saves across 38⅓ innings. His consistency as a late-inning option made him one of the more reliable relievers in Baltimore’s staff during the first half of the season.
His season took a new turn on July 10, 2025, when the Orioles traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays for a competitive balance draft pick. Baker adjusted quickly to his new club, making 31 appearances down the stretch and finishing the year with a 1–2 record, a 4.75 ERA, 34 strikeouts, and one save in 30⅓ innings. The midseason move gave Baker a chance to contribute to a contending Rays roster.
Heading into the next chapter with Tampa Bay, Baker profiles as a power-armed relief option capable of handling high-leverage innings. His mix of swing-and-miss stuff and prior late-inning experience with Baltimore gives the Rays a battle-tested arm as they map out their bullpen plans.