Dillon Michael Tate (born May 1, 1994) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

in the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

organization. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

. Tate played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

at the

University of California, Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an ...

. The Texas Rangers selected him in the first round of the

2015 MLB draft The 2015 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 8 through June 10, 2015, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2014 MLB season standings. As the Diamondbacks finished the 2014 season ...

and traded him to the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

during the 2016 season. He was traded to the Orioles close to the 2018 trade deadline and made his MLB debut with them in 2019.

Early life and education

Tate attended Claremont High School in

Claremont, California Claremont () is a suburban city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of Los Angeles. It lies in the Pomona Valley at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had ...

, graduating in 2012. He made the school's baseball team, but received little playing time as a freshman. He then began to train at the

(MLB) Urban Youth Academy in

Compton, California Compton is a city located in the Gateway Cities region of southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county, and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth ci ...

. He was not selected in the

MLB draft The Major League Baseball draft (officially the Rule 4 Draft; also known as the first-year player draft or amateur draft) is the primary mechanism by which Major League Baseball (MLB) assigns amateur baseball players from high schools, colleg ...

out of high school. Tate enrolled at the

, where he played

for the

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing the University of California, Santa Barbara. Referred to in athletic competition as ''UC Santa Barbara'' or ''UCSB'', the Gauchos participate in 19 NCAA Division I i ...

. The Gauchos and the

Oral Roberts Golden Eagles The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles are the sixteen college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oral Roberts University, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Golden Eagles compete at the National Collegiate Athle ...

were the only two Division I programs to offer Tate a scholarship. As a freshman, he appeared in four games, pitching three innings, and had a 9.00

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA). That summer, he grew from to through

weight training Strength training, also known as weight training or resistance training, is exercise designed to improve physical strength. It is often associated with the lifting of weights. It can also incorporate techniques such as bodyweight exercises ( ...

. As a sophomore, he served as the Gauchos' closer, finishing the season with a 1.45 ERA, 12 saves, and 46

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

s. Tate was expected to enter his junior season in 2015 as the closer again, but was converted into a

starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...

after an injury to one of the team's starters. He started 14 games in his junior year, pitching to an 8–5

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with a 2.26 ERA and 111 strikeouts in innings pitched.

Career

Texas Rangers

Considered one of the top prospects for the

, the Texas Rangers selected Tate with the fourth overall selection. He signed with the Rangers on June 12, earning a $4.2 million

signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...

. Tate made his professional debut for the

Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Co ...

of the Low–A

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseba ...

and was promoted to the

Hickory Crawdads The Hickory Crawdads are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. They are located in Hickory, North Carolina, and play their home games at L. P. Frans St ...

of the Single–A

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its h ...

in 2016. He spent time on the

disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 Major League Baseball season, 2019 season, it was known as the disabl ...

with a strained

hamstring A hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in human anatomy between the hip and the knee: from medial to lateral, the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris. Etymology The word " ham" is derived from the Old ...

. Tate pitched 65 innings for Hickory, with a 5.12 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and 27 walks. His fastball velocity, which previously ranged from , decreased to in his time with Hickory.

New York Yankees

On August 1, 2016, the Rangers traded Tate and fellow prospects

Erik Swanson Erik Donald Swanson (born September 4, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners. Swanson is one of only two active MLB pl ...

and Nick Green to the

in exchange for

Carlos Beltrán Carlos Iván Beltrán (; born April 24, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San F ...

. The Yankees assigned Tate to the Single–A

Charleston RiverDogs The Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League. They are located in Charleston, South Carolina, and are the Single-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The RiverDogs' home stadium is Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. Char ...

of the South Atlantic League to pitch as a reliever for the remainder of 2016, to work with pitching coach Justin Pope to fix various mechanical flaws that can lead to an increase in velocity. In innings for Charleston, he posted a 3.12 ERA with a 1.56 WHIP. The Yankees assigned him to the

Scottsdale Scorpions The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Scottsdale, Arizona, at Scottsdale Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the San Francisco G ...

of the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

after the regular season, and he was named to the Fall Stars Game. After missing the start of the 2017 season with a sore shoulder, Tate made nine starts for the

Tampa Yankees Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the county seat of Hillsborough C ...

of the High–A

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

, pitching to a 2.62 ERA. The Yankees promoted him to the

Trenton Thunder The Trenton Thunder are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Trenton, New Jersey, and play their home games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. From 1994 to 2020, it was a Minor League Baseball team of the D ...

of the Double–A Eastern League in August, where he finished the season, posting a 1–2 record with a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings.

Baltimore Orioles

On July 24, 2018, the

traded Tate,

Cody Carroll Cody Mark Carroll (born October 15, 1992) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles. Career Amateur career Carroll attended Mount Juliet High School in Mount Juliet, ...

, and

Josh Rogers Joshua Cole Rogers (born July 10, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, and Colorado Rockies. Career Amat ...

to the

in exchange for

Zack Britton Zackary Grant Britton (born December 22, 1987), known professionally as Zach Britton until February 2019, is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankee ...

. On November 20, the Orioles added Tate to their

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...

to protect him from the

Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

. Tate split the 2018 season between the Double-A

and the Double–A

Bowie Baysox The Chesapeake Baysox are a Minor League Baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League. Their home ballpark is Prince George's Stadium. From 1993 to 2024, th ...

of the Eastern League, accumulating a 7–5 record with a 4.16 ERA in innings. Tate returned to Bowie to start the 2019 season. On July 26, 2019, the Orioles promoted Tate to the major leagues. He made his debut on July 29, allowing three runs over two innings pitched. He finished his rookie season with a 6.43 ERA across 16 appearances. Tate pitched in 12 games for Baltimore in 2020, posting a 3.24 ERA with 14 strikeouts. In 2021, Tate appeared in 62 games for the Orioles, registering an 0-6 record and 4.39 ERA with 49 strikeouts in innings of work. Tate enjoyed a career year in 2022, appearing in 67 games for Baltimore and posting a 4-4 record and 3.05 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 5 saves in innings pitched. On January 13, 2023, Tate agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Orioles, avoiding salary arbitration. On February 16, it was announced that Tate had suffered a flexor strain in late November and would miss the first month of the season as a result. Tate made 29 appearances for Baltimore in 2024, recording a 4.59 ERA with 23 strikeouts across innings pitched. Tate was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

following the acquisition of

Forrest Wall Forrest Alexander Wall (born November 20, 1995) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the San Diego Padres organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. Wall was selec ...

on August 28, 2024.

Toronto Blue Jays

On September 1, 2024, Tate was claimed off waivers by the

. In 4 games for Toronto, he logged a 5.40 ERA with 4 strikeouts across innings pitched. On November 22, the Blue Jays non–tendered Tate, making him a free agent. On March 12, 2025, Tate re-signed with the Blue Jays on a one-year, $1.4 million contract. He was optioned to the Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

to begin the season. In five appearances for Toronto, Tate recorded a 5.06 ERA with seven strikeouts across innings pitched. He was

by the Blue Jays on May 9. Tate cleared waivers and was sent outright to Buffalo on May 12.

References

External links

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos bio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tate, Dillon 1994 births Living people Aberdeen IronBirds players African-American baseball players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Los Angeles County, California Bowie Baysox players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Charleston RiverDogs players Claremont High School (California) alumni Frederick Keys players Hickory Crawdads players Major League Baseball pitchers Norfolk Tides players Sportspeople from Claremont, California People from Harbor City, Los Angeles Scottsdale Scorpions players Spokane Indians players Tampa Yankees players Toronto Blue Jays players Trenton Thunder players UC Santa Barbara Gauchos baseball players 21st-century African-American sportsmen