| Dillon Dingler | |
| Team: | Detroit Tigers |
| Number: | 38 |
| Position: | Catcher |
| Birth Date: | 17 September 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Massillon, Ohio, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | July 29 |
| Debutyear: | 2024 |
| Debutteam: | Detroit Tigers |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | August 20, 2024 |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat1value: | .200 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 1 |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value: | 5 |
| Teams: |
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Francis Dillon Dingler (born September 17, 1998) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Dingler attended Jackson High School in Jackson Township, Ohio, where he played baseball, basketball, and football, leading Jackson to state championships in both basketball and baseball his senior year.[1] [2] [3] Undrafted in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, he enrolled at Ohio State University where he played college baseball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
As a freshman at Ohio State in 2018, Dingler batted .244 with four home runs and 17 RBIs over 53 games.[4] He earned Big Ten Conference All-Freshman honors.[5] In 2019, his sophomore year, he was named a team captain.[6] He missed 19 games during the season due to a broken hamate bone in his left hand.[7] Over 49 games, he slashed .291/.392/.424 with three home runs and 19 RBIs, and was named to the All-Big Ten second team.[8] [9] As a junior in 2019, Dingler once again was named a team captain.[10] He hit .340 with five home runs and 14 RBIs over 13 games before the college baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]
The Detroit Tigers selected Dingler in the second round, with the 38th overall pick, in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[12] He signed for $1.93 million.[13] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the West Michigan Whitecaps of the High-A Central.[15] After slashing .287/.376/.549 with eight home runs and 24 RBI over 32 games, he was promoted to the Erie SeaWolves of the Double-A Northeast on June 13.[16] In early August, he was placed on the injured list with a finger injury.[17] He returned to play in early September.[18] Over 50 games with Erie, Dingler batted .202/.264/.314 with four home runs and twenty RBI.[19] He returned to Erie for the 2022 season.[20] He was selected to represent the Tigers at the 2022 All-Star Futures Game.[21] Over 107 games with Erie, Dingler slashed .238/.333/.419 with 14 home runs, 58 RBI, and 22 doubles.[22] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters after the season.[23]
On March 16, 2023, it was reported that Dingler would be out for four weeks after undergoing a meniscectomy procedure on his right knee.[24] After hitting .253 with 9 home runs and 41 RBI in 51 games for Double–A Erie, Dingler was promoted to the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens in August 15.[25] In 26 games for Toledo, he hit .202 with three home runs and nine RBI.
On November 14, 2023, the Tigers added Dingler to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He was optioned to Triple–A Toledo to begin the 2024 season.[26] On July 29, 2024, Dingler was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[27]