Prospect Spotlight: Tanner Dodson (TBR)

Sandy Tambone | MiLB.com

Matt Linder

After drafting two-way star Brendan McKay in 2017, the Rays drafted another baseball unicorn with the 71st pick in 2018, Tanner Dodson.  The Cal Berkeley-product is a switch-hitting outfielder and a right-handed pitcher.  Dodson slashed .273/.344/.369 with a K/BB ratio of 34/20.  On the mound, he had a 1.44 ERA over 25 innings with 25 strikeouts and only five walks.  I have seen Dodson hit multiple times during his first season in pro-ball and pitch in relief once.

The 21-year-old is not a physically imposing figure, only listed at 6’1” and 160 lbs.  Offensively, Dodson has an open and upright stance, with an approach conducive to hitting the ball to the opposite field.  He does not project to have much home run power due to his current swing path, but as his body fills out, his gap power will increase.  Dodson has good, not great, speed, but his instincts allow it to play up, both on the base paths and in the outfield. He covers enough ground to stick in centerfield and also has the arm to play right field.

wanderrays.com

As a pitcher, Dodson really impressed me.  In relief, he threw a plus two-seam fastball ranging from 92-to-95 mph.  He also has an advanced feel for three off-speed pitches, all of which generated swings and misses.  Dodson’s slider sits 87-to-88 mph with hard, late bite, sometimes diving more vertically or horizontally depending on how he threw it.  His next best off-speed pitch was the changeup.  The Rays’ young pitcher used it exclusively vs. lefties, getting batters to roll over the pitch.  Lastly, he threw a curveball (79-to-81 mph) which he used sparingly.  However, it flashed good shape, especially for his fourth offering.  His motion is slightly unorthodox, but he is able to repeat it due to his athleticism.

While I think Dodson could reach the big leagues solely as a position player, his long-term role should be on the mound.  His ceiling is much higher as a pitcher.  Due to the fact that he has split time between pitching and hitting his entire career, I expected to see an unpolished pitcher.  However, I was blown away by Dodson's ability to control his plus raw stuff.  I saw the potential for two plus pitches (fastball & slider) and another average offering (changeup), which is clearly starting pitcher material.  If he focuses on pitching, I would not be surprised to see his velocity tick up.  He has the building blocks to be a mid-rotation FV 55 starting pitcher.  Also, considering his smaller build, I don’t know if Dodson's body will be able to hold up over the course of a long season, as both a hitter and pitcher.

If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com