Dillon Tate Bio
Dillon Michael Tate 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, establishing himself as a reliable relief arm across several major league seasons. Tate played college baseball at the University of California, Santa Barbara before entering professional baseball as a highly regarded first-round draft pick.
Originally developed as a starting pitcher, Tate transitioned to a bullpen role during his professional career and has spent the majority of his MLB tenure working as a reliever. His career has carried him through multiple organizations, beginning with the Texas Rangers, continuing through the New York Yankees system, and ultimately producing a sustained run of major league appearances with the Orioles and Blue Jays.
Early Life and Background
Dillon Michael Tate was born on May 1, 1994, and grew up in Claremont, California. He attended Claremont High School, where he graduated in 2012, and made the school’s baseball team, although he saw limited playing time during his freshman year. Seeking further development, he began training at the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California, an experience that helped shape his approach to the game. He was not selected in the MLB draft out of high school, which motivated him to continue his playing career at the collegiate level.
Tate enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he played college baseball for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. Only two Division I programs extended scholarship offers to him, with the Gauchos and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles showing interest. As a freshman, he appeared in four games, pitching three innings and posting a 9.00 earned run average (ERA). During the following summer, he added significant muscle mass through weight training, growing from 165 pounds to 200 pounds, which transformed his physical presence on the mound.
Path to Professional Baseball
Tate’s path to professional baseball accelerated during his sophomore and junior seasons at UC Santa Barbara. As a sophomore, he served as the Gauchos’ closer and finished the year with a 1.45 ERA, 12 saves, and 46 strikeouts, demonstrating the kind of late-inning composure that would later define his major league profile. Entering his junior year in 2015, he was expected to reprise the closer role but was converted into a starting pitcher after one of the team’s starters suffered an injury.
The transition proved successful, as Tate started 14 games in his junior campaign, posting an 8–5 win-loss record with a 2.26 ERA and 111 strikeouts across 103 and one-third innings pitched. His performance drew national attention and positioned him as one of the top prospects for the 2015 MLB draft. The Texas Rangers selected him with the fourth overall pick, making him one of the most sought-after amateur pitchers in his draft class.
Dillon Tate Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
After being selected fourth overall by the Texas Rangers in the 2015 MLB draft, Tate signed with the organization 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 and recorded a 5.12 ERA with 55 strikeouts and 27 walks, although his fastball velocity, which had previously reached the 92–98 miles per hour range, dipped to 90–93 miles per hour.
On August 1, 2016, the Rangers traded Tate, along with fellow prospects Erik Swanson and Nick Green, to the New York Yankees in exchange for Carlos Beltrán. The Yankees assigned him to the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs to work as a reliever with pitching coach Justin Pope, who helped him address mechanical flaws. In 17 and one-third innings for Charleston, he posted a 3.12 ERA with a 1.56 WHIP, and he was later assigned to the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League, where he was named to the Fall Stars Game. After missing the start of 2017 with a sore shoulder, Tate made nine starts for the Tampa Yankees of the High-A Florida State League, pitching to a 2.62 ERA, and finished the year with the Trenton Thunder of the Double-A Eastern League, where he went 1–2 with a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2018–2024)
On July 24, 2018, the New York Yankees traded Tate, Cody Carroll, and Josh Rogers to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Zack Britton. The Orioles added Tate to their 40-man roster on November 20 to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He split the 2018 season between the Double-A Trenton Thunder and the Double-A Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League, accumulating a 7–5 record with a 4.16 ERA across 123 and one-third innings. He returned to Bowie to begin the 2019 season.
On July 26, 2019, the Orioles promoted Tate to the major leagues, and he made his MLB debut on July 29, allowing three runs over two innings pitched. He finished his rookie campaign with a 6.43 ERA across 16 appearances. In 2020, he pitched in 12 games for Baltimore, posting a 3.24 ERA with 14 strikeouts. Tate appeared in 62 games for the Orioles in 2021, registering an 0–6 record and a 4.39 ERA with 49 strikeouts across 67 and two-thirds innings. In 2022, he enjoyed a career year, appearing in 67 games for Baltimore and posting a 4–4 record and a 3.05 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 5 saves across 73 and two-thirds innings. On January 13, 2023, Tate agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Orioles, avoiding salary arbitration, but a flexor strain suffered in late November forced him to miss the first month of the season. He made 29 appearances for Baltimore in 2024, recording a 4.59 ERA with 23 strikeouts across 33 and one-third innings, and was designated for assignment on August 28, 2024, following the acquisition of Forrest Wall.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2024–2025)
On September 1, 2024, Tate was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays, and he appeared in four games for Toronto, logging a 5.40 ERA with 4 strikeouts across 3 and one-third innings. On November 22, the Blue Jays non-tendered Tate, making him a free agent. On March 12, 2025, he 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 7 strikeouts across 5 and one-third innings before being designated for assignment on May 9.
Tate cleared waivers and was sent outright to Buffalo on May 12, 2025. The Blue Jays added him back to their active roster on September 1. On November 6, 2025, the Blue Jays outrighted Tate to the minors, and he elected to become a free agent, returning to the open market.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a converted starter, Tate has built his major league identity around a power fastball and a durable relief frame developed through significant weight training during his college years. He has functioned effectively in late-inning and middle-relief roles, leaning on his velocity and the mechanical adjustments refined during his time in the Yankees system. His career-best 2022 season demonstrated his ability to log high-leverage innings and produce a strong ERA across an extended major league workload.
Notable Events and Milestones
Tate’s most notable milestones include being selected fourth overall in the 2015 MLB draft, making his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2019, and enjoying a career-best 2022 season in which he posted a 3.05 ERA with 5 saves across 67 appearances. He was also named to the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game following the 2016 season, an early recognition of his prospect pedigree.
Dillon Tate Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public information about Dillon Michael Tate’s family background remains limited, and detailed details about his parents, siblings, or spouse have not been widely published. His early baseball development was shaped by training at the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California, and by the support of the UC Santa Barbara baseball program.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began for Tate with a re-signing in Toronto on a one-year, $1.4 million contract, followed by an option to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He made five appearances for the Blue Jays at the major league level, recording a 5.06 ERA with 7 strikeouts across 5 and one-third innings before being designated for assignment on May 9 and later sent outright to Buffalo on May 12.
Tate returned to Toronto’s active roster on September 1, 2025, providing bullpen depth during the final stretch of the season. On November 6, 2025, the Blue Jays outrighted him to the minors, and he elected free agency, opening the door to his next professional opportunity. His 2025 campaign reflected the journeyman nature of his career, with movement between Triple-A Buffalo and the major league roster as he continued to compete for high-leverage relief opportunities.