BA GRADE
50
Risk: High
Born: May 19, 1995. B-T: L-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 225. Drafted: Ohio State, 2016 (2nd round). Signed by: Nick Venuto.
When Dawson was in high school, he served as a bat boy for the Columbus Clippers, working with future Indians stars like Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. A football/baseball star at Licking Heights High in Pataskala, Ohio, Dawson went on to be a three-year starter at Ohio State.
Dawson’s introduction to pro ball in 2016 was a difficult one and he showed similar struggles in the first half of 2017. As of early June, he was struggling to stay above the Mendoza Line, but improved plate discipline and a tweaked swing path helped him take off. Dawson’s strong enough that he can drive the ball even when he doesn’t completely square pitches up. He hit over .330 in the second half of the season, but it’s his power that has a chance to be plus. Like many lefthanded hitters, he’s yet to figure out how to consistently stay in against lefties (he hit .210 against them). Dawson is an average runner who is a little better than that underway and he’s shown some knack for basestealing, although it’s unlikely he’ll be a significant threat at the big league level.
Defensively he’s limited to left field and will return to Buies Creek in 2018 and attempt to build on an excellent second half of the 2017 season.
Year |
Club (League) |
Class |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2016 |
Tri-City (NYP) |
SS |
.225 |
70 |
244 |
41 |
55 |
2017 |
Quad Cities (MWL) |
LoA |
.272 |
115 |
434 |
80 |
118 |
|
Buies Creek (CAR) |
HiA |
.327 |
13 |
52 |
7 |
17 |
Minor League Totals |
.260 |
198 |
730 |
128 |
190 |
||
Year |
Club (League) |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
2016 |
Tri-City (NYP) |
13 |
1 |
7 |
36 |
41 |
2017 |
Quad Cities (MWL) |
23 |
4 |
13 |
60 |
55 |
|
Buies Creek (CAR) |
3 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
4 |
Minor League Totals |
39 |
6 |
20 |
101 |
100 |
|
Year |
Club (League) |
SO |
SB |
CS |
OBP |
SLG |
2016 |
Tri-City (NYP) |
66 |
12 |
6 |
.351 |
.373 |
2017 |
Quad Cities (MWL) |
99 |
17 |
8 |
.363 |
.433 |
|
Buies Creek (CAR) |
9 |
1 |
3 |
.368 |
.423 |
Minor League Totals |
174 |
30 |
17 |
.359 |
.412 |
|