Detroit Tigers: Dillon Dingler set to miss time after undergoing surgery

Detroit Tigers prospect catcher Dillon Dingler to miss time.

The Detroit Tigers continue to work towards the start of the 2023 season and the rebuild of the original, but the prospects are dropping like flies. The Tigers' recent medical update was a dose of bad news for the prospects.

The headliner of the news was that former Detroit Tigers' first overall pick Jackson Jobe could miss the entire 2023 season with a spine injury. But, just below Jobe on the medical update was catcher Dillon Dingler.

Here's the update:

The update states that Dingler underwent a right knee meniscectomy. This is not good at all. The Tigers said that Dingler is set to start a return to baseball activities plan in a month. That estimate may be true for him to get back on the field and start prepping for a return, but it could be a while before Dingler is back in a game situation.

Putting on my white coat and stethoscope, let me explain why. An arthroscopic meniscectomy is a procedure where they go in and remove a torn part of the meniscus. While it is not as tasking as a UCL surgery or something of that nature, he still has a road to recovery ahead of him.

Even being an athlete and in great shape, Dingler is not immune to a slow recovery. This procedure is slated to take most patients 4-6 weeks to return to full activities (via a Washington University page about the procedure). Thinking he will be ready to be back behind the plate and in the batters' box after just four weeks seems like high hopes.

It seems like Dingler will be able to begin his return to the field in a month or a little after, but it's still going to take him time to get back to 100%. After all, Dingler had an injury that forced him to leave the Arizona Fall League (AFL) in the fall and was ramping up in Spring Training, but he's looking at another break.

It could take Dingler time to get back up to speed, meaning that he's likely out of the big league catching situation until the latter half of the summer, and that's with an impressive showing in the minors.

In 2022 Dingler spent the bulk of his time with the Double-A Erie squad, where he hit .238/.333/.419 with 22 doubles, three triples, and 14 home runs. He drove in 58 runs over 387 at-bats with the Double-A squad.

The Tigers catching situation is riding the likes of Eric Haase and Jake Rogers as the primary options. However, Dingler and Donny Sands were looking to earn some at-bats at the big league level in 2023 if the opportunity allowed.

For Dingler, it will take time as he recovers from surgery and tries to get things back on track as summer rolls around.