Julian Merryweather Bio
Julian Christopher Merryweather, born on October 14, 1991, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2020 to 2022 and the Chicago Cubs from 2023 to 2025. A right-handed reliever who has battled injuries throughout his career, Merryweather has worked as both a starter and a bullpen arm at the major league level.
Born in Berkeley, California, Merryweather emerged as a promising talent during his high school years at Junípero Serra High School and refined his game through college baseball at Skyline College and Oklahoma Baptist University. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2014, beginning a long minor league journey that eventually carried him to the majors.
Early Life and Background
Julian Christopher Merryweather was born on October 14, 1991, in Berkeley, California. Growing up in the Bay Area, he attended Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, California, where he excelled in baseball and developed into a notable pitching prospect. His high school performances drew the attention of college recruiters and helped set the stage for his path in the sport.
After completing high school, Merryweather continued his baseball career at Skyline College before transferring to Oklahoma Baptist University. At Oklahoma Baptist, he pitched for the Bison and put together two impressive seasons. In his time with the Bison, Merryweather posted a 22–5 win–loss record, a 1.73 earned run average (ERA), and 208 strikeouts, a stat line that helped establish him as a draft prospect heading into the 2014 MLB Draft.
Path to Professional Baseball
Merryweather’s college production at Oklahoma Baptist University made him an attractive target in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. The Cleveland Indians selected him in the fifth round, marking the official start of his professional career. His strong college strikeout numbers and competitive record suggested a pitcher who could move quickly through a farm system, and Cleveland quickly slotted him into their developmental pipeline.
He made his professional debut with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, going 1–2 with a 3.66 ERA in 13 games. That first taste of pro ball gave way to a steady climb through Cleveland’s minor league affiliates, including stints with the Lake County Captains, the Lynchburg Hillcats, the Akron RubberDucks, and eventually the Columbus Clippers. The Indians added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season, a sign that the organization viewed him as a potential major league contributor.
Julian Merryweather Career
Minor League Years with Cleveland (2014–2018)
Merryweather’s early professional years were defined by steady progress through the Indians’ minor league system. He pitched in 2015 with the Lake County Captains, posting a 4.08 ERA in 70 2/3 innings, and in 2016 with both the Lynchburg Hillcats and Akron RubberDucks, he went a combined 13–6 with a 2.60 ERA in 24 games started between the two affiliates. That performance positioned him for a step up the ladder.
In 2017, he opened the year with Akron and was promoted during the season to the Columbus Clippers. In 25 total games between the two levels, he pitched to a 7–9 record and a 5.32 ERA. His progress was halted the following spring, however, when he injured his pitching elbow during the Indians’ 2018 spring training camp. Cleveland announced that he would need Tommy John surgery and would miss the entire 2018 season, a setback that reshaped the early arc of his career.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2018–2022)
On October 5, 2018, Merryweather was sent to the Toronto Blue Jays as the player to be named later from the trade that sent Josh Donaldson to Cleveland. He spent 2019 working his way back in the minors, making two appearances for the rookie-level Gulf Coast Blue Jays and the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays, and he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League during the offseason.
Merryweather made his major league debut on August 20, 2020, against the Philadelphia Phillies, and he made his first MLB start on August 26. With the 2020 Toronto Blue Jays, he appeared in 13 games, compiling a 0-0 record with a 4.15 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. In 2021, he opened the year on the 60-day injured list with an oblique strain before being activated on September 8, going on to make 13 appearances with a 4.85 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and 2 saves. In 2022, he landed back on the 60-day injured list with another oblique injury on July 2, returned on September 5, and finished with 26 appearances, a 6.75 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. The Blue Jays designated him for assignment on January 10, 2023, after the signing of Brandon Belt became official.
Chicago Cubs Era (2023–2025)
On January 17, 2023, Merryweather was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs, kicking off the most productive stretch of his major league career. In 69 games out of the bullpen that year, he registered a 3.38 ERA with 98 strikeouts across 72 innings of work, numbers that made him a reliable late-inning option for the Cubs.
In 2024, he began the year as part of Chicago’s relief corps, posting a 1.93 ERA across 4 contests before a right shoulder strain landed him on the injured list on April 7. Further testing revealed a rib stress fracture in his back, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on April 17. Merryweather was activated on July 22, and in 15 total games for Chicago he struggled to a 6.60 ERA with 14 strikeouts across 15 innings. On September 19, it was announced that he would undergo a patellar tendon debridement surgery on his knee, ending his season.
Merryweather made 21 appearances for Chicago in 2025, posting a 0-1 record and a 5.79 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings pitched. On May 24, 2025, the Cubs designated him for assignment, and he was released by Chicago on May 30, ending his Cubs tenure.
New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers (2025)
On June 7, 2025, Merryweather signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. In 12 appearances for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, he logged a 1-0 record and a 4.50 ERA with 15 strikeouts and two saves over 12 innings of work. The Mets released him on August 2.
On August 8, 2025, Merryweather signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He made 11 appearances for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, struggling to a 7.36 ERA with 16 strikeouts and one save over 11 innings pitched. Merryweather elected free agency following the season on November 6.
Julian Merryweather Family
Personal Life
Publicly available information about Julian Christopher Merryweather’s personal life is limited, and he has not been the subject of widely reported details about his family or relationships. Most coverage of his career has focused on his work as a pitcher rather than on his life off the field.
2025 Season Performance
Julian Merryweather’s 2025 season was a turbulent one. He began the year in the Chicago Cubs bullpen, making 21 appearances and posting a 0-1 record with a 5.79 ERA and 15 strikeouts across 18 1/3 innings. The Cubs designated him for assignment on May 24 and released him on May 30, leaving him to seek a fresh opportunity elsewhere.
He found that opportunity with the New York Mets, signing a minor league deal on June 7 and pitching 12 innings for Triple-A Syracuse with a 1-0 record, 4.50 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and two saves before being released on August 2. The Milwaukee Brewers signed him on August 8, and he appeared in 11 games for Triple-A Nashville, finishing his year with a 7.36 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and one save across 11 innings.
Merryweather elected free agency on November 6, 2025, closing the book on a year in which he wore three different uniforms and continued to fight through inconsistency at the Triple-A level. Heading into the next chapter of his career, he remains a free agent looking for another chance to contribute at the major league level.