On Thursday, the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft resumed and the Detroit Tigers were back on the clock with the first pick of the 2nd Round.
The pick is in and the Tigers have selected Ohio State catcher, Dillon Dingler.
With the first pick in the second round of the MLB draft, the Tigers select
Ohio State C Dillon Dingler— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) June 11, 2020
This is the highest the Tigers have drafted a catcher since they selected James McCann in the 2nd Round of the 2011 MLB Draft.
Here is the MLB scouting report on Dingler:
Dingler teamed with Ball State right-hander Kyle Nicolas, another early-round prospect for the 2020 Draft, to win Ohio state Division I baseball and basketball titles when both were Jackson High seniors in 2016-17. He spent most of his freshman season in center field and broke the hamate bone in his left hand during the season opener as a sophomore, costing him a month and limiting him after he returned. He performed well this spring, giving him a chance to become the third first-round pick in Ohio State history, following Nick Swisher (2002) and Alex Wimmers (2010).
Dingler reminds area scouts of former Wright State catcher Sean Murphy, a 2016 Athletics third-rounder who has blossomed into one of baseball’s top catching prospects. He doesn’t quite have Murphy’s plus-plus cannon but he does possess well above-average arm strength and his accuracy continues to get better as he gains experience. His receiving also continues to improve and he shows more athleticism and mobility than most backstops.
While Dingler batted just .267/.362/.396 in his first two college seasons, he controls the strike zone well and has plus raw power, so he should be able to hold his own as a right-handed hitter. He ran a sub-6.6-second 60-yard dash during the Buckeyes’ scout day this fall, though he probably won’t maintain plus speed as he stays behind the plate. In addition to his physical tools, he also offers strong makeup and was voted an Ohio State captain as a sophomore.
