In some ways, the clock is ticking on Cincinnati Reds minor league outfielder Blake Dunn, the oldest position player on the High-A Dayton Dragons roster. Then in other ways, this is just the beginning.
Injuries limited the 24-year-old Dunn to a combined 48 games over the last two seasons. He was a 15th-round pick in 2021, so there is typically a little less patience compared to guys who receive large signing bonuses at the top of the draft.
“The thing we really like about him is he plays the game kind of like a righthanded version of (TJ) Friedl,” said Shawn Pender, the Reds’ farm director. “He does a lot of things fundamentally sound. He’s an aggressive hitter, but he’s really developed plate coverage and a better understanding of who he is offensively. He just plays the game the right way. You know you are going to get great effort and a significant amount of production.”
Dunn was named the Midwest League player of the week Monday after he hit .550 in a six-game series with three homers, 10 RBI, nine runs and four stolen bases.
His speed plays up – he was a three-time Michigan state champion in the 300-meter hurdles in high school – because he’s a good baserunner. He doesn’t have a ton of raw power, but if he continues to show strong plate discipline, he should hit for average. He can handle all three spots in the outfield.
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Originally Posted by Ron Madden
