Dillon Dingler

Francis Dillon Dingler

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 210 lb.
• School Ohio State University
• High School Jackson High School (Massillon)

• Born September 17, 1998 in Massillon, OH USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Catcher Dillon Dingler was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the 2nd round of the 2020 amateur draft, out of Ohio State University. With the minor leagues shut down by the Coronavirus pandemic, he had to wait until 2021 to make his professional debut, which he did with the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Low-A Southeast. After just three games, he was promoted to the West Michigan Whitecaps of High-A Central, and he finished the season with the Erie SeaWolves of the Double-A Northeast. Altogether, his slash line was .239/.310/.407 in 85 games, with 12 homers and 46 RBIs. In 2022, he spent the entire season with Erie, batting .238/.333/.419, with 12 homers and 58 RBIs in 107 games. He was named to the American League team for the 2022 Futures Game. The Tigers were not particularly worried about the low batting average, given that his primary mission that year had been to work on his defensive plays, and this had been a success according to observers. Following the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.

In 2023, Dingler played for three different teams - the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Florida State League, Erie and the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League, in what was his first taste of AAA. The assignment to Lakeland, where he hit .395 in 12 games, was for rehabilitation purposes, and he hit .253 in 51 games in AA and .202 in 26 games in AAA to finished with a combined slash line of .256/.361/.478 in 89 games. He hit 22 doubles and 16 homers and both scored and drove in 58 runs. He started 2024 in AAA with Toledo and on April 16th was involved in a very bizarre play. In the 1st inning, pitcher Devin Sweet got his cleat stuck in the ground as he was delivering the pitch, leading him to drop the ball which rolled slowly towards home; Rochester Red Wings baserunner Juan Yepez then took off from second base, but, alertly, Dingler picked up the ball and gunned him down to end the inning.

Further Reading

• Jason Beck: "This top Tigers prospect becoming student of game: Dingler rapidly improving behind plate at Double-A Erie", mlb.com, June 23, 2022. [1]
• Brent Maguire: "A slow roller from the mound to the plate ends in ... a caught stealing?!", mlb.com, April 16, 2024. [2]