DETROIT – Dillon Dingler started his professional career with the Detroit Tigers in 2020, when they selected him in the second round of the draft, 38th overall.
He worked his way through the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2024 when the Tigers traded their backup catcher, Carson Kelly, to the Texas Rangers.
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He served as the Tigers’ backup catcher for the remainder of the 2024 season and was given the starting job when Jake Rogers went on the IL for oblique tightness in April.
While Rogers was on the IL, Dingler hit .278 with 2 home runs and 8 doubles in 112 plate appearances. When Rogers returned in May, Dingler remained the Tigers’ starting catcher.
Thinking about the tools/profile of a typical catcher, defense and arm strength are typically valued the most, with power (slug) being next, then contact, and run being a virtual non-factor.
A non-quantifiable part of a catcher’s job, and therefore rarely talked about, is their role that includes calling pitches, understanding and communicating with an entire pitching staff, helping to manage their mindset and confidence, and collaborating with coaches on strategic bullpen decisions.
A catcher’s constant involvement in the game, ability to influence the game’s pace, and close relationship with pitchers make them a critical leadership role in a team’s success.
Dingler is currently hitting for plus contact and average slug, with plus defense and arm strength. Offensively, he has contributed a great deal to the Tigers’ success. So far in 2025, he is hitting .278 with 13 home runs and 19 doubles.
Defensively, he has become one of the best in the game.
- Third in blocks above average (11). Blocks above average represents the number of passed balls and wild pitches he has saved compared to the expectation of an average catcher. Converted to a run value, his blocks are quantified at a value of three runs.
- Fifth in catcher framing runs (8). Catcher framing runs is the run value of pitches in the “shadow zone,” (borderline pitches) that have been converted into called strikes by a catcher.
- Eighth in caught stealing above average. Caught stealing above average represents the number of extra “caught stealing” compared to the expectation of an average catcher. Converted to a run value, his caught stealing is quantified at a value of 3 runs
- No. 1 in MLB in arm strength, with his throws averaging 85.2 mph.
- Pop time (the time it takes for the ball to travel from the catcher’s glove to the glove of the fielder at second base while attempting to catch a runner stealing) is 1.94 seconds -- above major league average (approximately 2.00 seconds) by .06 seconds.
- 4.1 WAR (wins above replacement). WAR estimates a player’s total value to their team by quantifying the number of additional wins they provide in comparison to a replacement-level player.
In conclusion, Dillon Dingler has been a key part of the Tigers’ success this year, both offensively and defensively. He is eligible for arbitration in 2028 and will be a free agent in 2031. We can look forward to him playing an essential role for the Tigers for years to come.