Sauryn Lao Bio
Sauryn Lao (born August 14, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent in 2015 at age 16 and began his professional career as an infielder before converting to pitching. Lao made his MLB debut in 2025 and currently plays for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Early Life and Background
Sauryn Lao was born on August 14, 1999, in the Dominican Republic. Details about his early childhood, family background, and educational background are not extensively documented in available sources. His journey to professional baseball began when he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent on October 2, 2015, at the age of 16. This signing marked the start of his professional career in the Dodgers organization.
Path to Professional Baseball
Lao entered professional baseball as an infielder following his signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He made his professional debut in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers, where he appeared in 50 games and hit .201. He returned to the DSL Dodgers in 2017 and showed improved performance, slashing .303/.373/.412 with two home runs, 36 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. His versatility as a position player continued to develop through his early minor league career.
Lao helped the rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers win a league championship in 2018, contributing a two-RBI triple in the final game of the championship series. In 40 regular season appearances, he batted .262/.359/.476 with four home runs, 22 RBI, and four stolen bases. He played in 61 games for the rookie-level Ogden Raptors in 2019, posting a .271/.362/.480 slash line with nine home runs, 45 RBI, and six stolen bases. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Lao did not play in any games that year. He returned to action in 2021 with the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, hitting .244/.330/.419 with career highs in home runs (11) and RBI (46), along with five stolen bases.
Sauryn Lao Career
Position Player to Pitcher Conversion (2022–2024)
During the 2022 season, Lao made a significant career transition by converting from a position player to a pitcher. In his final season as an infielder, he batted .179/.276/.254 with one home run and four RBI in 20 games for the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Dodgers and High-A Great Lakes Loons. This marked a pivotal moment in his professional journey, as he began developing as a pitcher.
Lao made his first appearances on the mound in 2023, splitting the year between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Great Lakes Loons, and Double-A Tulsa Drillers. In 34 total appearances across the three affiliates, he posted a combined 4-0 record and 3.79 ERA with 73 strikeouts over 57 innings of work. He reached Triple-A in 2024, logging a 3.74 ERA with 54 strikeouts and two saves in 20 relief appearances split between the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club and Tulsa Drillers. Lao elected free agency following the 2024 season on November 4.
Seattle Mariners (2025)
On December 14, 2024, Lao signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. He began the 2025 season with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. On April 20, 2025, Lao was promoted to the major leagues for the first time in his career. He made his MLB debut on April 22, striking out three batters and allowing an unearned run in one and two-thirds innings against the Boston Red Sox. This debut marked the realization of his long journey from Dominican Republic to Major League Baseball.
Lao was designated for assignment by the Mariners on April 30 and cleared waivers, being sent outright to Triple-A on May 2. He was added back to the active roster on August 19. He pitched once more, allowing three runs including a home run to Kyle Schwarber, in another one and two-thirds inning outing against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 20. The Mariners designated Lao for assignment once again on September 1, 2025.
Washington Nationals (2025)
On September 3, 2025, Lao was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals. He appeared in five games for the Nationals, allowing three runs including a home run to Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves in six and two-thirds innings. Lao earned his first MLB win on September 20, pitching a scoreless 10th inning in an 11-inning victory over the New York Mets at Nationals Park. This first career win was a significant milestone in his professional career.
He ended his first MLB season with a combined 4.91 ERA, nine strikeouts, and two walks across 11 innings with the Mariners and Nationals. He spent much of the season in Triple-A, combining for a 2-4 record, 3.25 ERA, and 75 strikeouts in 74 and two-thirds innings for the Tacoma Rainiers and Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2026–Present)
On January 9, 2026, Lao was released by the Nationals in order to allow him to sign with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. This move marked a new chapter in his career as he transitioned to play in Japan. The Fighters are a storied franchise in NPB, and Lao joined their roster wearing number 30.
Sauryn Lao Career Wins
Lao has compiled his professional wins across Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball during his career from 2016 to present. His Minor League career includes seasons in the Dominican Summer League, Arizona League, Pioneer League, California League, Midwest League, Texas League, and Pacific Coast League. He accumulated a combined record of 6-4 across his Minor League seasons as a pitcher with an ERA under 4.00 in his final two seasons.
Major League Baseball Highlights
In his rookie MLB season in 2025, Lao appeared in seven total games between the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. He finished the season with a 1-0 win-loss record, 4.91 ERA, and nine strikeouts across 11 innings pitched. His only career win came on September 20, 2025, when he pitched a scoreless 10th inning to secure the victory against the New York Mets. He made his MLB debut on April 22, 2025, against the Boston Red Sox, recording three strikeouts in his debut appearance.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented the culmination of Lao is long and winding professional journey that began when he signed with the Dodgers at age 16. After spending nearly a decade in the Dodgers organization as a position player and then as a pitcher, Lao finally reached the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners in April. He made his debut against the Boston Red Sox and continued to gain experience throughout the season.
His season included a notable moment with the Washington Nationals when he earned his first MLB win against the New York Mets in September. The 10th-inning performance showcased his ability to handle pressure situations at the highest level. Despite the limited sample size of 11 MLB innings, Lao demonstrated strikeout potential with nine punchouts on the season.
The Nationals acquired Lao mid-season and gave him opportunities to prove himself at the major league level. After the season concluded, the organization released him to facilitate his move to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, allowing him to continue his baseball career in Japan is top professional league. Lao continues to develop his pitching skills with the Fighters as he progresses in his professional career.