Preseason models look ridiculous after this Tigers' power surge
· Yahoo Sports
Preseason models look ridiculous after this Tigers' power surge originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dillon Dingler, like many other MLB players, played multiple sports in high school. During his senior year, he led his high school to state championships in both basketball and baseball.
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He tried to go pro out of high school, but ended up going undrafted during the 2017 MLB Draft. This allowed him to play college baseball for Ohio State University, where he earned Big Ten Conference All-Freshman honors.
Over the next two years, he would be named a team captain and got the attention of the Detroit Tigers, who drafted him during the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft.
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Preseason models look ridiculous after this Tigers' power surge
It would take Dingler some time to work his way through the minors. It wouldn't be until the midway point of the 2024 season that he made his MLB debut. Last year, he largely split time behind the dish with Jake Rogers.
This season, Dingler has completely taken over the backstop role. He's the club's primary catcher, but what he's doing with the bat might be more impressive.
Per MLB.com's Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, he has completely blown past his projected offensive numbers this year.
"Dingler's homer binge took ZiPS by surprise. Just past his estimated game total, he's already doubled his home run production from 13 to 26. The 93-point gain on his projected slugging percentage combined with his defense behind the plate currently has him sitting pretty with the fourth-highest fWAR in all of baseball. We're spoiled for great catchers all across baseball at the moment, but as far as fWAR is concerned, the Tigers' is the very best on offer."
This isn't just a coincidence. Dingler has cut down on chasing elevated fastballs and making hard contact on pitches over the plate. It will be interesting to see just how many home runs he finishes with at the end of the season.