Dillon Dingler

The 38th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Dingler is coming off of a decent year with Double-A Erie in 2022. He only batted .238 but showed decent pop with 14 home runs and 58 RBI across 107 games. The 24-year-old looked more comfortable than he did during a 50-game stint at the Double-A level in 2021. That year, Dingler posted a middling .578 OPS, which he was able to boost to .752 in 2022. Looking ahead to 2023, Dingler could push his way to Triple-A at some point and may eventually be an option in the majors. The Tigers have Eric Haase, who will be 30 when the 2023 season begins, as their presumptive starter behind the plate. Tucker Barnhart was the backup in 2022, but he's now a free agent. The team also has Jake Rogers returning after missing all of 2022 following Tommy John surgery. Haase isn't a long-term option, and there's plenty of uncertainty behind him, so Dingler could develop into an MLB starter, provided he continues to play well in the minors.

For a college catcher, Dingler is bursting with tools, which led to the Tigers selecting him with the 38th pick in last year's draft. He has plus power, a 70-grade arm, excellent plate skills and is even an above-average runner. Dingler played center field as a freshman at Ohio State and was athletic enough to hold his own before moving to catcher. He improved gradually as a hitter, logging a .701 OPS as a freshman and an .816 OPS as a sophomore. Dingler broke out in 13 games last spring, hitting .340/.404/.760 with five home runs and a 12.1 K% in 58 PA. Even in his first two seasons when he was not performing like a high pick, Dingler logged a 52:48 K:BB in 405 PA, so a strong approach has always been there. He got acclimated to pro ball at the alternate training site and got to catch the Tigers' high-end pitching prospects. However, he curiously declined an invite to the fall instructional league.