Casey Lawrence Bio
Casey Lee Lawrence (born October 28, 1987), nicknamed “Twig,” is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Over the course of his career, Lawrence has worked his way from undrafted free agent to a reliable innings-eater at the Triple-A level, with stints in the majors spread across multiple organizations.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Lawrence developed into a strike-throwing right-hander known for his work ethic and durability. His career has included stops in the minor leagues of the Blue Jays and Mariners systems, a brief venture into Japanese baseball, and a memorable international showing with the United States national team.
Early Life and Background
Casey Lee Lawrence was born on October 28, 1987, in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the same small Adams County community and attended Delone Catholic High School, where he played both baseball and basketball. Despite a strong high school career, Lawrence went undrafted in the 2010 MLB Draft and decided to continue his playing career at the collegiate level.
Lawrence enrolled at Albright College, a Division III program in Reading, Pennsylvania. During his first year on campus, he played college basketball before ultimately committing to baseball. On the mound, Lawrence quickly developed into one of the top arms in the program, finishing his four-year career with an 18–8 win–loss record and a 2.81 earned run average across 256⅔ innings. He also set Albright’s all-time strikeout record with 251 punchouts, and added a .256 batting average with four home runs and 41 runs batted in as a first baseman.
Path to Professional Baseball
After going unselected in the 2010 MLB Draft, Lawrence signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent. In lieu of a traditional signing bonus, the organization provided him with a plane ticket to Dunedin, Florida, where he was assigned to the Low-A Auburn Doubledays. He earned a mid-season All-Star nod in Auburn and was promoted to the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts before the end of his first professional campaign, finishing 7–2 with a 2.33 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 77⅓ innings.
Lawrence spent the next several years moving through the Blue Jays’ minor league ranks, including stops with the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays, the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. In 2011, he turned his season around after a mid-year rough patch, going 9–1 with a 1.93 ERA from July 1 onward to finish strong. He also spent offseasons pitching for the Bravos de Margarita of the Venezuelan Winter League beginning in 2014, adding to his innings and his résumé.
Casey Lawrence Career
Toronto Blue Jays (2017)
On April 8, 2017, the Blue Jays called Lawrence up to the major leagues, and he made his MLB debut that same night against the Tampa Bay Rays. He took the loss after walking in the winning run in the 11th inning of a tight contest. Lawrence pitched 13⅓ innings for Toronto before being designated for assignment on May 8. He was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners on May 11, beginning a long relationship with that organization.
Seattle Mariners (2017–2018)
Lawrence’s first stint in Seattle was a productive one. On June 1, 2017, he set a Mariners franchise record for most strikeouts in a single relief appearance, fanning nine batters over five innings against the Colorado Rockies. He earned his first major league victory on August 1, 2017, pitching 2⅓ innings of relief against the Texas Rangers in an 8–7 Seattle win. Between Toronto and Seattle that year, he went 2–3 with a 6.34 ERA.
Lawrence made the Mariners’ Opening Day roster in 2018 after his contract was purchased on March 28. He appeared in 11 games for Seattle, going 1–0 with a 7.33 ERA, before being released on November 29, 2018, to pursue an opportunity overseas.
Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2019)
In December 2018, Lawrence signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball. His time in Japan was limited, as he appeared in just one game for the Carp’s top team in 2019, allowing six runs in five innings. He also logged 21 appearances for Hiroshima’s minor league affiliate in the Western League. Lawrence became a free agent on December 2, 2019.
Minnesota Twins (2020)
On January 28, 2020, Lawrence signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins but was released before the season began. He re-signed with the Twins on August 10 and was assigned to the team’s alternate training site in St. Paul, though he did not pitch in a game during the shortened 2020 campaign. He became a free agent again on November 2.
Toronto Blue Jays Second Stint (2021–2023)
Lawrence signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball on March 30, 2021, but was purchased by the Blue Jays on May 19 and assigned to Triple-A Buffalo. He re-signed with Toronto on a minor league deal in November 2021 and returned to Buffalo in 2022. On May 4, 2022, the Blue Jays added him to the active roster, replacing Gosuke Katoh. He was later removed from the 40-man roster and outrighted to Triple-A on November 9. In 2023, he re-signed with Toronto and made 18 starts for Buffalo before exercising his opt-out clause on July 17 and becoming a free agent.
St. Louis Cardinals (2023)
On July 20, 2023, Lawrence signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. After three starts for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals selected his contract on August 15 after placing Steven Matz on the injured list. In 15 games for St. Louis, he posted a 6.59 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 27⅓ innings. Lawrence rejected an outright assignment at the end of the year and elected free agency on October 26.
Seattle Mariners Second Stint (2024–2025)
On February 7, 2024, Lawrence signed a minor league contract with the Mariners that included an invitation to spring training. He spent the year with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, going 11–11 with a 5.95 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 165 innings in 29 starts. Lawrence elected free agency on November 4 and re-signed with Seattle on a minor league deal on November 15.
Lawrence’s 2025 season was marked by constant movement between the Mariners and Triple-A Tacoma. He was added to the active roster on April 9, designated for assignment on April 14, and began a series of transactions that saw him bounce between Seattle, Tacoma, and free agency multiple times. On July 24, he threw a complete game two-hitter, becoming the first 37-year-old to do so in Triple-A since Ramón Ortiz in 2010. He elected free agency on November 6 and re-signed with the Mariners organization on November 27, 2025.
Toronto Blue Jays Third Stint (2025)
On April 28, 2025, the Blue Jays claimed Lawrence off waivers. He made one appearance for Toronto, allowing three runs on six hits in 2⅔ innings against the Boston Red Sox on April 29, before being designated for assignment the next day. He cleared waivers and elected free agency on May 2.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lawrence is recognized for his durability and his ability to log innings at the minor league level, where his strike-throwing approach and his background as a position player have helped him handle bat control and fielding duties. He works well in long relief and can eat up multiple innings when needed, which has made him a dependable depth option for organizations looking for Triple-A stability.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lawrence set a Seattle Mariners franchise record on June 1, 2017, with nine strikeouts in a single relief appearance against the Colorado Rockies. He also earned the USA Baseball International Performance of the Year Award in 2024 for six shutout innings in the bronze medal victory over Venezuela at the WBSC Premier12 tournament. In 2025, he became the first 37-year-old to throw a complete game two-hitter in Triple-A since Ramón Ortiz in 2010.
Casey Lawrence International Career
Lawrence represented the United States in the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament. He won the USA Baseball International Performance of the Year Award after throwing six shutout innings in the bronze medal game against Venezuela, and he also picked up a win over the Netherlands in the same tournament. The international performance helped him earn a minor league contract with the Mariners for the following season.
Casey Lawrence Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lawrence was raised in McSherrystown, Pennsylvania, a small Adams County community near Gettysburg. He played multiple sports at Delone Catholic High School before focusing on baseball, and he was a college basketball player during his first year at Albright College before fully committing to pitching. His family has not been publicly profiled, though his Pennsylvania roots have remained a constant through his journeyman career.
Personal Life
Casey Lee Lawrence and his wife, Sarah, have two children and were expecting a third child in September 2025. During the Mariners’ 2024 spring training, he won a three-point shooting contest, reflecting his continued ties to basketball. He is known by the nickname “Twig.”
Casey Lawrence 2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was one of the most unusual of Lawrence’s career, defined by constant movement between the Seattle Mariners and their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma. He appeared in games for Seattle, was designated for assignment multiple times, cleared waivers, elected free agency, and re-signed with the Mariners on a new minor league deal all within a few months. He also made a brief stop with the Toronto Blue Jays after being claimed off waivers in late April, pitching once before being designated for assignment the next day.
Despite the constant churn, Lawrence produced one of the signature moments of the season on July 24, when he threw a complete game two-hitter for the Tacoma Rainiers. That outing made him the first 37-year-old to complete a two-hitter in Triple-A since Ramón Ortiz in 2010, and it underscored the durability that has defined his career. He finished the year as a free agent before re-signing with the Mariners organization in late November.
Heading into 2026, Lawrence remains in the Seattle organization on a minor league contract. With his track record of eating innings in Triple-A and his proven ability to step in for short major league stints, he is once again positioned as a depth option for the Mariners’ pitching staff.