Tigers Catcher Dillon Dingler Is Blossoming Into an All-Star

To many, the Detroit Tigers have been the biggest surprise in baseball. Despite their remarkable run to the postseason last year, there were still questions about this team returning to October. Now, Detroit has the most wins in the league and is looking like a World Series contender.

There are a number of reasons for the Tigers’ success. Manager A.J. Hinch has hit all the right buttons, Tarik Skubal is once again Cy Young caliber, and Spencer Torkelson has found the best version of himself. Another factor has been second-year catcher Dillon Dingler breaking out and giving the Tigers a boost both offensively and defensively.

Dingler was a 2020 second-round pick out of Ohio State who steadily climbed his way through the system before debuting on July 29, 2024. Serving as the backup to Jake Rogers, Dingler struggled to find his footing in a more limited role and slashed .167/.195/.310 in his 27 games as a rookie.

His minor league numbers suggested that there was more potential in his bat, which could allow for him to be a more well-rounded hitter than Rogers, whose defense has carried his value. An early-season injury to Rogers opened the door for Dingler to get more steady at-bats, and he has capitalized on the opportunity.

Stats updated prior to games on June 18.

Dillon Dingler’s Offensive Upside

The catcher position is usually held to a different standard, offensively, than most positions. A catcher’s primary responsibility is managing the pitching staff and calling a game, with offense being an added bonus. This is a standard Tigers fans had grown used to with Rogers behind the plate.

However, Dingler is changing that standard in Detroit. Through 56 games, he is slashing .271/.300/.432 with seven home runs and a 106 wRC+, which ranks fifth amongst AL catchers. While his numbers are inflated by a very hot start, Dingler has shown a level of offense that is higher than the Tigers have seen from a catcher in some time.

Keep in mind, we are talking about a player with less than 300 plate appearances as a major leaguer. A player that is still learning and adjusting on the fly, but has flashed enough to make me believe he can be an asset both behind the plate and at the plate.

Offensively, Dingler will likely settle in as more of a power hitter than an average hitter, but not to the same extent as Rogers. The strikeouts will probably be above average, but we have seen an improvement from a 34.5% strikeout rate as a rookie to 27.1% this season, which isn’t the only improvement we have seen.

Dingler is making more productive contact this year as well. The average exit velocity (89.2 mph) is roughly the same, but he is lifting the ball more, which has led to a jump in his barrel rate (3.7% to 9.1%), giving him a boost in his power numbers.

For a player like Dingler, lifting and pulling the ball is what will make him valuable offensively. Last season, only 15% of his fly balls were pulled, while that number this year is 21%. Combine that with a groundball rate that has dropped nearly 10%, and you can see why more of his batted balls are leaving the yard.

I understand why some people are wary of putting too much trust in a player who is going to either hit a home run or strike out. It’s a risky position to be in as a player, and a cold streak can really derail a season. However, I think Dingler has the room and ability to grow his game as he continues to develop.

Although Dingler strikes out more than you would like, the reason is more correctable than you might think. The problem Dingler has is chasing, and missing, breaking balls outside of the zone. This is a problem that is fairly common for young players entering a league where all pitchers have plus breaking balls, unlike in the minors.

These four graphs will help tell the story. Chasing pitches outside of the zone has been a problem and is what has led to his higher number of strikeouts. We have already seen an improvement from last season, and although this was an issue in the minors, it was to a lesser extent. There’s a good chance Dingler can learn to lay off these pitches, even marginally, and be rewarded with more pitches in the zone where he does damage.

Dingler’s 83% contact rate is actually above average and very promising. You might notice a problem in those graphs at the top of the zone, where he mostly sees fastballs.

Dingler does not have a fastball problem (.327 AVG, 19.2% whiff rate), but elevated fastballs come with a certain level of ride that can be difficult to manage. This is maybe a weak spot in his swing, or perhaps an area for improvement if he reduces his chase rate, giving him the ability to hunt certain fastball counts in the zone.

Either way, Dingler’s offense to start the season has been encouraging, and you don’t have to squint too hard in order to believe in his bat continuing to improve. The strides he’s made this season are promising, and he’s far from a finished product. Even if the bat doesn’t stand out, he can fall back on his defense.

Dillon Dingler’s Defense

As I mentioned earlier, defense is a must for catchers, especially in the Tigers organization. They have shown a willingness to sacrifice offense for plus defense, so even if Dingler’s bat slows down, his value will hold. I know defensive stats for catchers can be wonky, so hang in here with me and we’ll get to some normal human talk soon.

Dingler currently ranks in the 98th percentile in blocks above average with nine, which has saved the Tigers an estimated two runs. Dingler has also handled the running game remarkably well and has thrown out two more batters than what would be expected, ranking him in the 75th percentile. Wonky, right? Let’s just watch them instead.

We don’t need stats to tell us how impressive some of these plays are. Dingler’s pop time isn’t great, but he makes up for it with a plus arm and pinpoint accuracy. The difference between a stolen base and an out often comes down to a few inches, and Dingler’s ability to consistently locate his throw right where the tag needs to be placed is truly an art.

Gunning a runner down is bigger than just an out. It eliminates a runner, saves the pitcher’s pitch count, and also gives the team a jolt. There’s something about throwing a runner out that adds a level of momentum that teams feed off of.

Of course, we can’t talk about defense without talking about framing. Dingler currently ranks fifth in catcher framing runs and strike rate. We have all seen Dingler’s ability to steal a strike here and there, which has a bigger impact than you might think.

Changing counts from a hitter’s count to a pitcher’s count allows a pitcher to attack differently and throw a swing-and-miss pitch instead of having to locate a strike. A few of these a game is a difference maker.

Final Thoughts

Dingler’s defense offers a floor the Tigers have shown they are comfortable with. His bat offers a ceiling they have not had in the past several years. The improvements from year one to year two must give the Tigers confidence in him leading the position into the future.

Not only does Dingler check the box of having a catcher moving forward, but it allows Scott Harris and Co. to potentially be more comfortable moving one of their catching prospects in order to help improve the team immediately.

Sure, Cal Raleigh has earned the starting position in the All-Star Game. Clouting 27 home runs will guarantee that. But, Dingler has earned serious consideration as the second catcher for the American League. Like so many things about the Tigers, saying that one year ago wouldn’t have been believable.

Maybe there is some magic in Motown after all.