Detroit Tigers add Dillon Dingler to 40-man roster means more than it seems

Detroit Tigers protect Dillon Dingler; add him to 40-man roster.

The Detroit Tigers are getting their roster in order for the Rule 5 Draft in December. While most of the details are working themselves out, some moves still need to be made. Formalities or not, there are some players who need to be protected from being swiped in the draft. One of those moves the Tigers made to protect a player was to add Dillon Dingler to the team's 40-man roster.

The Detroit Tigers' promotion of Dingler suggests that a promotion to the MLB could be all the more likely now that he is on the big league roster. That's not to say he's big league destined after Spring Training and is the future Rookie of the Year, but there would have had to be a corresponding move in prior years. However, after being added to the 40-man roster, there is less of a hoop to jump through if he does wind up on the 26-man roster.

Detroit wanted to protect Dingler, their former second-rounder from the 2020 MLB Draft, drafting the athletic backstop from The Ohio State University. He jumped into the organization and has continued working through the ranks. Some injuries have hampered his road to Detroit, but Dingler looks like he's in a better spot now.

Looking ahead, Dingler can carve a way into the big leagues if things go well. As of now, barring any more off-season changes, the Detroit Tigers will be relying on Jake Rogers and Carson Kelly to handle their catching duties. Who's to say that Dingler cannot get some big-league reps in in 2024?

In 2023, Dingler played 89 games across time spent with three affiliates. He had to ramp back up with Single-A Lakeland before jumping to Double-A Erie and eventually making his way to Triple-A Toledo. Most of his time was spent with Double-A Erie, where he played 51 games, accumulating 219 plate appearances. Dingler slashed .253/.372/.462 with 11 doubles and nine home runs, driving in 41 runs.

After being promoted to Triple-A with the Toledo Mud Hens, Dingler played in 26 games and had 109 plate appearances under his belt. He slashed .202/.266/.384 with seven doubles, a triple, and three home runs, driving in nine runs. It was a shorter stint, but he started to get his feet under him.

There has to be a belief that Dingler has it in the tank to make his big league debut in 2024 if the cards fall as they may. But Detroit has to rock with what they have in the Rogers/Kelly tandem for now. Adding Dingler to the 40-man roster does more than just making him safe from the Rule 5 Draft; if all goes well, he could push for a 2024 debut.