Casey Legumina Bio
Casey Davey Legumina (born June 19, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners. Legumina made his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in April 2023 and has competed at baseball’s highest level while advancing through minor league systems of multiple organizations. He was born and raised in Gilbert, Arizona, and attended Basha High School before playing college baseball at Gonzaga University.
Early Life and Background
Casey Legumina was born on June 19, 1997, in Gilbert, Arizona, where he grew up as an Arizona Diamondbacks fan, citing Luis Gonzalez and Junior Spivey as his favorite players. He has three siblings named Hannah, Luke, and Jake. His father, Gary Legumina, pitched in the minor leagues from 1982 to 1986, providing Casey with baseball guidance throughout his youth. Casey has credited his father with offering valuable advice on pitching mechanics and the professional game. The Legumina family owns a restaurant in Gilbert, Arizona, in which Casey and his siblings are partners alongside their father.
Legumina attended Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona. During his junior year, he established a school record by striking out 72 batters as a pitcher while also hitting .345 and leading the team in on-base plus slugging percentage. In his senior season of 2016, Legumina batted .443 and earned selections to the All-District and All-Section first teams as a designated hitter. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury before the season that prevented him from pitching or playing defensively. Before beginning his college career, Legumina gained additional experience by pitching for the Wenatchee AppleSox in five summer baseball games.
Path to Professional Baseball
Despite his strong high school performance, Legumina went undrafted in his initial eligibility year. The Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 25th round of the 2016 MLB draft, but he chose not to sign and instead attended Gonzaga University to play for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. His first collegiate season saw him post a 5.46 earned run average while working both as a reliever and starting pitcher. In 2018, Legumina transitioned to the closer role and set a single-season school record with 12 saves, earning All-West Coast Conference first-team honors. He sought advice on the closer position from former teammate Wyatt Mills, who had also become a professional pitcher.
The Cleveland Indians selected Legumina in the 35th round of the 2018 MLB draft, but he again declined to sign, returning to Gonzaga for his final season. During that summer, he played for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League, allowing only one run across 10 innings while starting two games. His final collegiate season was cut short by an arm injury that prevented him from pitching after March 8. Despite the limited action, he displayed improved fastball velocity and recorded 29 strikeouts in 24 innings across four appearances with a 1.50 earned run average.
Casey Legumina Career
Minor League Development (2019–2022)
The Minnesota Twins selected Legumina in the eighth round, with the 239th overall selection, of the 2019 MLB draft. He signed with the organization and received a $250,000 signing bonus. Unfortunately, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his pitching arm just two months after being drafted, which delayed the beginning of his professional career. The cancellation of the 2020 minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic further pushed back his debut.
Legumina finally made his professional debut in May 2021 with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. In June of that year, a foul ball struck him in the arm while he sat in the dugout, keeping him out of action for approximately one month. He finished the season with a brief appearance for the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels in September. Across 15 games including nine starts, he posted a combined 4–2 record with a 3.28 earned run average and 63 strikeouts in 49 and one-third innings pitched. In 2022, Legumina began the season with Cedar Rapids before earning a promotion to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge after three appearances. He suffered an elbow contusion in July that caused him to miss two weeks of games. He appeared in 33 games with 16 starts, compiling a 2–6 record with a 4.80 earned run average, 92 strikeouts, and three saves in 86 and one-third innings pitched. The Twins added Legumina to their 40-man roster on November 15, 2022, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Cincinnati Reds (2023–2024)
On November 18, 2022, the Minnesota Twins traded Legumina to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Kyle Farmer. The Reds optioned him to the Triple-A Louisville Bats to begin the 2023 season. He performed exceptionally well in his initial minor league stint, recording a 1.59 earned run average with five strikeouts across five and two-thirds innings pitched.
On April 15, 2023, the Reds promoted Legumina to the major leagues for the first time in his career. He made his MLB debut that day, pitching the final two innings of a 13–0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Notably, his debut occurred on Jackie Robinson Day, an occasion he commemorated with a tattoo featuring Jackie Robinson’s retired number 42 and the smokestacks at Great American Ball Park. After one additional appearance, he returned to Triple-A Louisville but received three more call-ups to Cincinnati during the season. He earned his first MLB win on April 29 by pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Legumina spent time on the injured list with a right ankle contusion in mid-May and right shoulder pain in late June. Across 11 appearances with the Reds, he posted a 5.68 earned run average with 11 strikeouts in 12 and two-thirds innings pitched.
In 2024, Legumina again began the season with Louisville and received three separate call-ups to Cincinnati, pitching once each time before returning to the minors. A September call-up lasted three games before the Reds returned him to Louisville to conclude the season. He struggled significantly during his limited MLB action, posting an 8.68 earned run average with seven strikeouts across nine and one-third innings in six games. His fastball velocity dropped by nearly one mile per hour compared to his previous season. The Reds designated Legumina for assignment on January 30, 2025, after signing Austin Hays.
Seattle Mariners (2025–2026)
On February 3, 2025, the Seattle Mariners acquired Legumina from the Reds, sending cash considerations to Cincinnati. He replaced Jhonathan Díaz on Seattle’s 40-man roster and was optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to begin the season. The Mariners recalled Legumina on April 11, 2025, and he made his debut for Seattle on April 15, exactly two years after his original MLB debut with Cincinnati.
Legumina appeared in eight games for Seattle to begin the 2026 season, registering an 0–1 record with a 4.63 earned run average and nine strikeouts across 11 and two-thirds innings. On April 21, 2026, the Mariners designated Legumina for assignment, opening a roster spot for another player. Three days later, on April 24, 2026, the Tampa Bay Rays acquired him in exchange for minor league player Ty Cummings.
Tampa Bay Rays (2026–Present)
Legumina joined the Tampa Bay Rays organization in late April 2026 following his trade from Seattle. The Rays acquired him to bolster their bullpen depth and provide additional pitching options as the season progressed. He assumed the uniform number 67 with his new organization.
Casey Legumina Career Wins
Legumina has compiled professional statistics across multiple seasons and organizations at both the minor and major league levels. His MLB career includes contributions from three different franchises while his minor league career spans several levels of the minor league system. He has appeared in relief and starting roles throughout his professional journey, adapting to various team needs and bullpen configurations.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Through June 25, 2026, Legumina has appeared in 25 major league games across his career with Cincinnati, Seattle, and Tampa Bay. He has earned a total of seven wins while suffering seven losses, compiling a 5.18 earned run average with 96 strikeouts across his MLB career. His first MLB victory came on April 29, 2023, with Cincinnati, achieved by pitching a scoreless eighth inning in a game where the Reds secured a win. He earned his first win as a member of the Mariners during the 2026 season.
Minor League Achievements
Legumina has accumulated additional wins throughout his minor league career spanning from 2021 through 2026. His standout minor league seasons include his 2021 campaign where he went 4–2 with a 3.28 earned run average across Single-A and High-A levels. His 2022 season with Cedar Rapids and Wichita saw him post a 2–6 record with 92 strikeouts in 33 appearances. These performances demonstrated his ability to compete at multiple minor league levels while developing his repertoire as a pitcher.
Casey Legumina Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Legumina comes from a baseball family with direct professional experience in the sport. His father, Gary Legumina, pitched in the minor leagues from 1982 to 1986, providing Casey with firsthand knowledge of what it takes to pursue a professional baseball career. Gary’s minor league career served as both inspiration and practical guidance for Casey throughout his development as a pitcher. Casey has publicly credited his father with offering valuable advice on pitching mechanics, game strategy, and navigating the challenges of professional baseball.
Personal Life
Beyond baseball, Legumina maintains strong family connections through a business venture in his hometown. He and his siblings Hannah, Luke, and Jake are partners with their father in a restaurant located in Gilbert, Arizona. This family business venture demonstrates Legumina’s commitment to staying connected to his roots even while pursuing his professional baseball career across the country. He continues to reside in Gilbert, Arizona, when not traveling for baseball.
Legumina has several tattoos on his arms that reflect his baseball journey and personal milestones. One prominent tattoo commemorates his father’s minor league baseball card, symbolizing the family’s baseball legacy. Another features Jackie Robinson’s retired number 42 alongside the smokestacks at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, representing both his MLB debut on Jackie Robinson Day in 2023 and his connection to the Reds organization. These tattoos serve as permanent reminders of significant moments in his baseball career and family heritage.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a significant transition for Legumina as he joined the Seattle Mariners organization following four seasons in the Cincinnati Reds system. Acquired in February 2025 for cash considerations, he reported to Triple-A Tacoma to begin the season, continuing his pattern of requiring minor league seasoning before earning MLB opportunities. His strong performances with the Rainiers earned him a recall to Seattle in mid-April, coincidentally exactly two years after his original MLB debut date.
Legumina appeared in eight games for the Mariners during the 2026 season before being designated for assignment. His results included an 0–1 record with a 4.63 earned run average, representing continued struggles at the major league level that had begun during his final season with Cincinnati. The velocity on his fastball remained below expectations, a concern that had persisted since his 2024 MLB appearances. Despite these challenges, Legumina continued to receive opportunities at the sport’s highest level, demonstrating that teams valued his potential and developmental ceiling.
His season trajectory led to a fourth organization in his professional career when Tampa Bay acquired him in late April 2026. The trade to the Rays represented both a fresh start and continued evidence of his portability as a player capable of filling organizational depth roles. Legumina entered the 2025 season with career MLB totals of seven wins, seven losses, and 96 strikeouts across 25 appearances. His ability to work multiple innings and adapt to different bullpen roles continued to be his primary value to major league franchises.