Matthew Phillip Dermody (born July 4, 1990) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

in the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

organization. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for 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) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

and the Chicago Cubs, and in

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB) for the

Saitama Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway ...

and in the

KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...

for the

NC Dinos The NC Dinos ( ko, NC 다이노스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Changwon. They are a member of the KBO League. Since 2019, their home stadium is Changwon NC Park. NC Dinos are owned by video game developer NCSoft Corp ...

High school and college

Dermody attended Norwalk High School in his hometown of

Norwalk, Iowa Norwalk is a city in Warren County, with some small portions extending into Polk County, in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 12,799 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is part of the Des Moines metropolitan area and is located jus ...

. In his senior season, he pitched to a 10–3

win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of matc ...

, 1.26

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), and 164 strikeouts. He also recorded the first six-inning, 18 strikeout

perfect game Perfect game may refer to: Sports * Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners * Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game * Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...

in Iowa state history. In addition, Dermody

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

.434 with 51

runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...

(RBI). His pitching performance that year earned him the Bob Feller Pitching Award. Dermody was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 26th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead attended the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

. With the Hawkeyes in 2010, Dermody made 10 appearances, seven of which were starts, and posted a 7.93 ERA. The following season he made 14 starts and went 4–6 with a 4.15 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched. In 2010 and 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the

Hyannis Harbor Hawks The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, formerly the Hyannis Mets, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Harbor Hawks play ...

of the Cape Cod Baseball League. The Colorado Rockies drafted Dermody in the 29th round of the

2011 Major League Baseball draft The 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Gerrit Cole out of the University of California, Los Angeles, with the firs ...

, but he did not sign. In 2012, Dermody won Iowa's

Big Ten The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

Sportsmanship Award, and pitched to a 1–7 record, 4.50 ERA, and 60 strikeouts in 76 innings. He was drafted for a third time, this time by the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...

in the 23rd round of the

2012 Major League Baseball draft The 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 4 through June 6, 2012, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Houston Astros, with the List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks, first ...

. Dermody declared his intention to sign with the Diamondbacks, and went to Arizona for a

physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally consists of a series of questions about the pati ...

. The Diamondbacks organization determined that he had a 40 percent tear of the left

ulnar collateral ligament Ulnar collateral ligament (or UCL), may refer to: * Ulnar carpal collateral ligament * Ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) or internal lateral ligament is a thick triangular ligament at the medial aspec ...

, and fearing the injury would require Tommy John surgery, declined to offer him a contract. Dermody then returned to the Hawkeyes for his senior year, making 14 starts in 2013. He had the best season of his college career, posting a 7–2 win–loss record, 3.64 ERA, and 68 strikeouts in 94 total innings.

Professional career

Toronto Blue Jays

The

selected Dermody in the 28th round of the

2013 Major League Baseball draft The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. Each team received one selection per round, going in ...

, and he signed on June 14. He was assigned to the Rookie-level

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays The Florida Complex League Blue Jays are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. The team plays i ...

, where he made one scoreless relief appearance before being promoted to the Short Season-A

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadiu ...

of the

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 Basebal ...

. In 43 total innings that season, Dermody posed a 5–1 record, 1.66 ERA, and 51 strikeouts. In 2014, Dermody was promoted to the Class-A

Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field. The Midwest League came to Lans ...

, where he pitched to a 4–6 record, 4.69 ERA, and 65 strikeouts in a career-high 96 innings. Dermody was assigned to the Advanced-A

Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpar ...

for the 2015 season. In 77 total innings that season, he was 4–1 with a 4.21 ERA and 62 strikeouts. Dermody remained in Dunedin to open the 2016 season, and made 16 relief appearances with a 1.96 ERA before being promoted to the Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays major league club. During the team's first seaso ...

. He excelled at the Double-A level, making another 16 relief appearances and posting a 0.92 ERA, which led to his promotion 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 ...

. On September 1, 2016, Dermody was called up by the Blue Jays. He made his MLB debut on September 3, 2016, against the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...

. In relief of

Joe Biagini Joseph Carlo Biagini (born May 29, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Blue Jays, Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. The San Francisco Giants se ...

, he pitched two-thirds of an inning, faced four batters, gave up two hits with no earned runs and got two outs while striking out one. Dermody wound up making 5 appearances with Toronto, failing to retire a batter in the final two en route to a 12.00 ERA. After the 2016 season, the Blue Jays assigned Dermody to the

Mesa Solar Sox The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona, at Sloan Park, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs. The team was established ...

of the

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

. On October 31, Dermody was named an AFL All-Star. He appeared in 10 games for Mesa and pitched to a 5.40 ERA with eight strikeouts. On April 16, 2017, Dermody was recalled by the Blue Jays from the

. He was optioned back to Buffalo on April 17, recalled again on April 28, and sent back down on April 30. On March 21, 2018, Dermody was designated for assignment. He was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo on March 24. Dermody underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2018. He was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo and put on the Injured list to start the 2019 season. He became a free agent following the 2019 season.

Sugar Land Skeeters

On March 9, 2020, Dermody signed with the

Sugar Land Skeeters The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the Greater Houston metr ...

of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. However, the ALPB season was later canceled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. Dermody subsequently played for the Skeeters team of the

Constellation Energy League The Constellation Energy League was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas during 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions limiting travel, and as a way to create opportunities for minor league players. History The league consisted of ...

(a makeshift four-team independent league created as a result of the pandemic) for the 2020 season. He was named to the league's all-star team.

Chicago Cubs

On August 6, 2020, Dermody was signed to a minor league contract by the Chicago Cubs organization. He was added to the team's major league roster on September 6, 2020, and pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Dermody was designated for assignment on September 7, 2020. Dermody elected free agency on September 28. On December 23, 2020, Dermody re-signed with the Cubs on a minor league contract. On January 19, 2021, Dermody was released by the Cubs organization.

Saitama Seibu Lions

On January 21, 2021, Dermody signed a one-year contract with the

(NPB). Appearing in 11 games, he pitched to an 0–2 record and 5.13 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 33.1 innings of work. He became a free agent following the 2021 season.

Chicago Cubs (second stint)

On January 27, 2022, Dermody signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization. He appeared in 20 games (13 starts) for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, logging a 6–3 record and 3.74 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 79.1 innings pitched.

NC Dinos

On August 8, 2022, Dermody signed with the

of the

. Dermody made eight starts for the Dinos, posting a 3–5 record and 4.54 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 39.2 innings pitched. He became a free agent following the 2022 season.

Boston Red Sox

On January 24, 2023, Dermody signed a minor league contract with the

organization.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dermody, Matt 1990 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Canada American expatriate baseball players in Japan Baseball players from Iowa Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Chicago Cubs players Dunedin Blue Jays players Gigantes del Cibao players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Gulf Coast Blue Jays players Hyannis Harbor Hawks players Iowa Hawkeyes baseball players Lansing Lugnuts players Major League Baseball pitchers Mesa Solar Sox players New Hampshire Fisher Cats players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers People from Warren County, Iowa Saitama Seibu Lions players Sugar Land Skeeters players Toronto Blue Jays players Vancouver Canadians players