Dylan Cease Bio
Dylan Edward Cease is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. Cease was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB draft and made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2019. He achieved a major milestone on July 25, 2024, when he pitched a no-hitter for the Padres against the Washington Nationals. Following the 2025 season, Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, the largest free agent deal in franchise history.
Early Life and Background
Dylan Edward Cease was born on December 28, 1995, in Milton, Georgia, a suburb north of Atlanta within the Metro Atlanta area. He grew up in a family with a strong baseball background. His father, Jeff Cease, played high school football, while his paternal grandmother, Betty Cease, was a professional baseball player in the late 1940s. His paternal uncle, Bruce Cease, was selected by the Washington Senators in the 1971 MLB draft and played first base for minor league affiliates during 1971 and 1972.
Cease began playing baseball at the age of four alongside his fraternal twin brother, Alec, who is one minute younger. Their father, Jeff, coached the teams they played on throughout their youth, and both brothers traveled extensively across Georgia to participate in baseball competitions. Growing up, Cease was an Atlanta Braves fan, and his family held season tickets to Braves games at Turner Field. He particularly admired Braves Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and John Smoltz, as well as Alex Rodriguez.
Path to Professional Baseball
Cease attended Milton High School in Milton, Georgia, graduating in 2014. He served as the team’s ace pitcher and wore number 7 as a tribute to Mickey Mantle. During his junior season, Cease led the Eagles to the 2013 GHSA Class 6A State Baseball Championship, recording 12 strikeouts in 6.0 innings during Game 2 of the finals against the Roswell Hornets. He finished his junior season with a 9-0 win-loss record, a 0.81 earned run average, and 100 strikeouts in 69+1/3 innings pitched.
During the 2013 Perfect Game National Showcase in Minneapolis, Cease threw a fastball recorded at 97 mph, ranking him in the 99.96th percentile for his class. He was selected to participate in both the 2013 Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park in San Diego and the 2013 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Cease committed to play college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in June 2014.
During his senior season in March 2014, Cease suffered a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow while pitching against the Johns Creek Gladiators. He could not pitch in the 2014 state championship, and the team finished as state runners-up to the Lambert Longhorns.
Dylan Cease Career
Chicago White Sox (2019–2023)
Cease was selected 169th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB draft. Although initially projected as a first-round pick, his draft position fell due to the elbow injury sustained during his senior season. He signed with the Cubs on July 4, 2014, for a $1.5 million signing bonus. Later that month, he underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the UCL tear in his right elbow, with an expected recovery time of one year.
Cease resumed throwing in May 2015 and made his professional debut with the Rookie-level AZL Cubs. He began the 2016 season with the Short-Season A Eugene Emeralds, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.22 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 44+2/3 innings, earning Northwest League Post-Season All-Star honors. In 2017, after starting the season with the Class A South Bend Cubs, Cease was traded to the Chicago White Sox on July 13 as part of the package for José Quintana. He finished the 2017 season with a combined 1-10 record, a 3.28 ERA, and 126 strikeouts across 22 starts.
Cease made his MLB debut on July 3, 2019, for the Chicago White Sox against the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field. He earned his first career win in that game, allowing three runs with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched during a 7-5 victory. He finished the 2019 season with a 4-7 record, a 5.79 ERA, and 81 strikeouts in 73 innings across 14 starts.
Cease finished the 2020 season with a 5-4 record, a 4.01 ERA, and 44 strikeouts in 58+1/3 innings across 12 starts. He ranked in the top three percent in average fastball velocity at 97.5 mph but led the American League with 34 walks allowed. In 2021, he recorded his first career hit during a game against the Cincinnati Reds on May 4, going 3-for-3 at the plate while pitching 6.0 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in a 9-0 win. He finished 2021 with a 13-7 record, a 3.91 ERA, and 226 strikeouts in 165+2/3 innings, leading the AL with 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings and 32 games started.
Cease earned American League Pitcher of the Month honors for June 2022 after posting a 0.33 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27+1/3 innings. He earned the award again in July with a 5-1 record and a 0.76 ERA with 40 strikeouts. His most notable performance of 2022 came on September 3 against the Minnesota Twins, when he carried a no-hitter through 8+2/3 innings before allowing a single. He completed the game as a one-hit shutout with seven strikeouts, the first complete game of his career.
Cease finished the 2022 season with a 14-8 record, a 2.20 ERA, and 227 strikeouts in 184 innings. He was named to the All-MLB Second Team and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting behind Justin Verlander. In 2023, he went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA and 214 strikeouts across 33 starts.
San Diego Padres Era (2024–2025)
Prior to the 2024 season, the Chicago White Sox traded Cease to the San Diego Padres on March 13, 2024, in exchange for Drew Thorpe, Jairo Iriarte, Samuel Zavala, and Steven Wilson. On July 25, 2024, Cease threw his first career no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals. He allowed three walks with nine strikeouts, throwing 71 of 114 pitches for strikes. The no-hitter was the second in Padres franchise history, following Joe Musgrove’s on April 9, 2021. Cease finished 2024 with a 14-11 record, a 3.47 ERA, and 224 strikeouts in 189+1/3 innings across 33 starts.
During a game against the Colorado Rockies on September 13, 2025, Cease struck out Ezequiel Tovar in the fourth inning to record his 200th strikeout of the season. This marked his fifth consecutive 200-strikeout season, making him only the fifth active pitcher with at least five consecutive 200-strikeout seasons. He finished 2025 with an 8-12 record, a 4.55 ERA, and 215 strikeouts in 168 innings across 32 starts while leading MLB with 11.52 strikeouts per nine innings. After the 2025 season, Cease became a free agent.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2026–Present)
On December 2, 2025, Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. The deal was the largest free agent contract in Blue Jays history, surpassing George Springer’s six-year, $150 million agreement from January 2021. In his Blue Jays debut, Cease set a franchise record with 12 strikeouts, the most by any pitcher in their team debut, breaking David Price’s previous record of 11 from 2015.
Dylan Cease Career Wins
Through June 16, 2026, Dylan Cease has compiled a 69-61 win-loss record with a 3.80 ERA and 1,341 strikeouts across his Major League Baseball career. His most celebrated achievement remains the July 25, 2024 no-hitter against the Washington Nationals.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Cease earned AL Pitcher of the Month honors twice during the 2022 season. In June 2022, he posted a 0.33 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27+1/3 innings. He followed with a 5-1 record and 0.76 ERA with 40 strikeouts in July. He received All-MLB Second Team recognition and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting that season. His 2024 no-hitter represented the second in Padres franchise history.
Other Achievements
Prior to reaching the majors, Cease was named MLB Pipeline Pitcher of the Year in 2018 after combining for a 12-2 record with a 2.40 ERA and 160 strikeouts across High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham. He represented the White Sox at the 2018 All-Star Futures Game. Through 2025, he has recorded five consecutive 200-strikeout seasons, joining Chris Sale, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer as the only active pitchers to achieve this feat.
| Series | Record | ERA | Strikeouts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox (2019–2023) | 43–40 | 4.10 | 792 |
| San Diego Padres (2024–2025) | 22–23 | 3.96 | 439 |
| Toronto Blue Jays (2026–present) | 4–2 | 2.95 | 110 |
Dylan Cease Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Dylan Cease comes from a family with deep baseball roots. His paternal grandmother, Betty Cease, was a professional baseball player in the late 1940s. His paternal uncle, Bruce Cease, was selected by the Washington Senators in the 1971 MLB draft and played first base for minor league affiliates during 1971 and 1972. He has a fraternal twin brother, Alec, who is one minute younger, and their father, Jeff, coached their youth baseball teams throughout their childhood.
Personal Life
Cease is of Jewish descent through his father. He practices mindfulness and wears number 84 in tribute to the 84 classic asanas in the yoga tradition and his favorite yogi, Sadhguru. An amateur disc golfer, Cease partnered with six-time PDGA World Champion Paul McBeth to purchase properties featuring disc golf courses. He appeared on preliminary rosters for Team Israel and Team USA ahead of the 2023 World Baseball Classic but ultimately did not participate.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Dylan Cease’s second year with the San Diego Padres. He made 32 starts, finishing with an 8-12 record, a 4.55 ERA, and 215 strikeouts in 168 innings pitched. He led Major League Baseball with 11.52 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, demonstrating his continued ability to generate swings and misses at an elite rate.
On September 13 against the Colorado Rockies, Cease recorded his 200th strikeout of the season, marking his fifth consecutive 200-strikeout season from 2021 through 2025. This achievement placed him among elite company as only the fifth active pitcher with at least five consecutive 200-strikeout seasons, joining Chris Sale, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer. He also became only the second Padres pitcher, alongside Jake Peavy, to record consecutive 200-strikeout seasons.
Despite individual success in strikeout production, the Padres struggled as a team during the 2025 season. Cease’s 12 losses reflected the team’s difficulties, but his ability to miss bats remained among the best in baseball. Following the season, Cease became a free agent and ultimately signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he began the 2026 season with a record-setting debut performance.