Chayce McDermott Bio
Chayce Michael McDermott is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on August 22, 1998, in Anderson, Indiana, McDermott debuted in the major leagues in 2024 after progressing through the minor leagues as a starting pitcher. He previously played in the Houston Astros organization before being traded to Baltimore in 2022. Standing out for his strikeout ability, McDermott has built a reputation as a hard-throwing right-hander with command of his secondary pitches.
McDermott attended Pendleton Heights High School before continuing his baseball career at Ball State University, where he overcame a serious arm injury to become one of the top pitchers in the Mid-American Conference. Selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, he has continued developing through the Orioles farm system and reached the major leagues in mid-2024.
Early Life and Background
Chayce Michael McDermott was born on August 22, 1998, in Anderson, Indiana. He grew up in a sports-minded family and attended Pendleton Heights High School, where he played baseball and developed the foundation for his future career as a pitcher. Anderson, a mid-sized city in central Indiana, provided McDermott with early exposure to competitive amateur baseball.
McDermott comes from a family with a deep connection to athletics. His older brother, Sean, played in the National Basketball Association for the Memphis Grizzlies, showing that athletic talent runs in the family. His uncle, Linc Darner, has had a long career as a college basketball coach, while another uncle, Tige Darner, scored more than 1,200 points for the Appalachian State Mountaineers. These family influences helped shape McDermott’s competitive approach and work ethic.
Path to Baseball
After high school, McDermott played college baseball at Ball State University, where he faced an early setback that threatened his career. Before his freshman season, he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, which required Tommy John surgery and forced him to redshirt the year. The injury and recovery tested his patience and commitment to the sport.
Once healthy, McDermott rebuilt his arm strength and worked his way back into the Cardinals’ rotation. As a redshirt freshman, he was limited by post-surgery restrictions, but he continued to progress in subsequent seasons. By his redshirt junior year in 2021, McDermott had become one of the top starters in the Mid-American Conference, going 8–2 with a 3.05 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. That performance earned him second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors and positioned him as a draft prospect.
Chayce McDermott Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
The Houston Astros selected McDermott in the fourth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft with the 132nd overall pick. He signed with the organization on July 17, 2021, and received a signing bonus of $375,000. After signing, McDermott was assigned to the Rookie League Florida Complex League Astros, where he made one appearance before being promoted to the Low-A Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
McDermott began the 2022 season with the High-A Asheville Tourists. In 19 games, including 10 starts, he posted a 6–1 record with a 5.50 ERA and 114 strikeouts over 72 innings pitched. His strikeout numbers stood out as a sign of his long-term potential as a power pitcher.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2022–Present)
On August 1, 2022, the Astros traded McDermott to the Baltimore Orioles as part of a three-team deal that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays. In the trade, the Astros acquired Trey Mancini from Baltimore and Jayden Murray from Tampa Bay, the Rays received José Siri from Houston, and the Orioles also obtained Seth Johnson from the Rays. After the trade, Baltimore assigned McDermott to the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the High-A South Atlantic League.
In 2023, McDermott split the season between the Double-A Bowie Baysox and the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Across 26 appearances, including 20 starts, he recorded an 8–8 record and a 3.10 ERA with 152 strikeouts. On May 19, 2023, while pitching for Bowie, McDermott was the starting pitcher in a combined no-hitter against the Altoona Curve, with Nolan Hoffman and Easton Lucas finishing the job out of the bullpen.
McDermott opened 2024 again at Norfolk, where he delivered one of his strongest performances of the year on May 3. Against the Nashville Sounds, he struck out a career-high eleven batters and carried a perfect game into the seventh inning of a 2–0 win. It marked the second consecutive year in which McDermott started a combined no-hitter, with Hoffman and Kaleb Ort completing this one. Across 20 appearances, including 19 starts for Norfolk in 2024, he posted a 3.96 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 91 innings. On July 24, 2024, the Orioles selected McDermott to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time.
Driving Style and Strengths
McDermott is recognized for his power-pitching profile, consistently generating swings and misses with a fastball that sits in the upper range of velocity for starting pitchers. His ability to miss bats has been a defining trait throughout his career, as shown by his high strikeout totals at every minor league level. McDermott also relies on a developing secondary arsenal and has shown improved command as he has matured, allowing him to work deeper into games and take perfect-game bids into late innings.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the signature moments of McDermott’s career came on May 3, 2024, when he recorded a career-high eleven strikeouts and carried a perfect game into the seventh inning for Norfolk. Starting combined no-hitters in back-to-back seasons, in 2023 with Bowie and in 2024 with Norfolk, has become a defining pattern in his minor league resume. Reaching the major leagues on July 24, 2024, marked the biggest milestone yet in his professional journey.
Chayce McDermott Career Wins
McDermott’s win totals reflect steady development through the minor leagues, with notable success at both the High-A and upper-minor league levels. His ability to miss bats and log quality innings has been a consistent theme since his college days.
Minor League Highlights
In his first full professional season with the High-A Asheville Tourists, McDermott went 6–1 across 19 games and 10 starts in 2022, striking out 114 batters in 72 innings. The following year, split between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk, he recorded 8 wins against 8 losses with a 3.10 ERA and 152 strikeouts. His most recent verified win came as part of a 2–0 victory for Norfolk over the Nashville Sounds on May 3, 2024, a game in which he struck out a career-high eleven batters.
Other Wins and Performances
McDermott’s college career featured a standout 2021 season at Ball State, where he went 8–2 with a 3.05 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. That performance earned him second-team All-Mid-American Conference recognition and helped establish him as a legitimate professional prospect heading into the 2021 MLB Draft.
Chayce McDermott Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
McDermott comes from a family with strong ties to competitive sports. His older brother, Sean McDermott, played in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies, giving the family a presence at the highest level of professional basketball. His uncle, Linc Darner, has had a long career as a college basketball coach, while another uncle, Tige Darner, scored more than 1,200 points for the Appalachian State Mountaineers. This family background in athletics has helped shape McDermott’s competitive drive.
Personal Life
McDermott grew up in Anderson, Indiana, and has continued to build his career within the Baltimore Orioles organization. Public details about his personal relationships, marital status, or children are not clearly verified.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, McDermott is expected to compete for a role in the Baltimore Orioles pitching staff after making his major league debut in late July 2024. His promotion to the 40-man roster signaled that the organization viewed him as part of its future, and his strong strikeout numbers in the minors suggest he could be a factor in the team’s rotation or bullpen plans.
McDermott’s performance at Triple-A Norfolk in 2024, including a 3.96 ERA and 129 strikeouts across 91 innings, provided a foundation for his next steps. Building on consecutive years of starting combined no-hitters, he enters 2025 with momentum and a clearer sense of how his stuff plays against upper-level competition.
The outlook for McDermott in 2025 centers on adjusting to major league hitters and refining his command over longer outings. If he can translate his minor league strikeout ability to the big leagues, he has a chance to establish himself as a long-term piece of the Orioles’ pitching plans.