Dillon Dingler, Wilmer Flores enjoy Futures Game experience
Dillon Dingler and Wilmer Flores each took a moment to take in their surroundings in Dodger Stadium.
Most minor-league players picture themselves playing in the big leagues one day. Participating in the MLB Futures Game gave Dingler and Flores a realistic look at their possible futures.
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“I spent the first half of the game in the bullpen, then jogged into the dugout with Jack Leiter. During that jog, I looked at the whole scene and there were a ton of people,” Dingler said. “It definitely wasn't your run-of-the-mill minor-league game, and it definitely makes you want to get to the big leagues right away.”
Dingler, the No. 3 prospect for the Detroit Tigers, and Flores, the No. 14 prospect, represented the SeaWolves and the Tigers in the Futures Game on July 16 in Los Angeles. Dingler was a substitute off the bench and grounded out in his only at-bat. Flores recorded two outs and allowed a double and a sacrifice fly in a seventh-inning appearance.
“It was a fun and a great experience for me. I pitched in the seventh inning and I was excited about the moment,” Flores said. “I was a little nervous coming in but it was the same baseball as usual.”
Flores, 21, was an undrafted free agent who in two years has gone from virtual unknown at Arizona Western College to playing in the most prestigious game in the minors.
“I enjoyed being around all of the big leaguers in L.A. and it was a great setting to pitch in Dodger Stadium,” Flores said. “During batting practice, I looked around and had a great feeling of being there.”
Dingler, 23, has been more of a heralded prospect since starring at Ohio State.
“I was super jittery before the game and we were around a lot of big leaguers. Jimmy Rollins was our manager, while Adrian Beltre was flipping to us in the cage, and I saw CC Sabathia and Raul Ibanez, and it was just awesome,” Dingler said. “It was also my first time at Dodger Stadium and in Los Angeles, and it didn't disappoint. It was a cool experience.”
Participating in the Futures Game normally signals to players that they are on the fast track to the big leagues. Former SeaWolves Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson played in the game in 2021, while Matt Manning, Isaac Paredes and Jake Rogers played in 2019. All five were in the big leagues this year.
“It was cool to see the highest level of minor-league players and how they go about their business before games and during the games,” Dingler said. “It was a lot of fun.”
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Tensions rise in Akron
The SeaWolves and RubberDucks have played close, meaningful games over the years, but things almost boiled over this past weekend in Akron. The Ducks took two of three games, including a 4-2 win Friday on a walk-off home run and a 7-6 win Saturday in a game that featured eight home runs. The 'Wolves avoided the sweep Sunday with a 5-2 win behind four late runs on a two-run home run by Daniel Cabrera and a two-run triple by Gage Workman.
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In the eighth inning, Erie pitcher Joe Navilhon hit Brayan Rocchio on the hip and Rocchio's reaction caused both benches to clear. No punches were thrown.
The teams played emotionally-charged games earlier this season. Things started to escalate Friday when Dingler was hit in the face by a pitch. SeaWolves outfielder Eric De La Rosa was hit twice on Saturday.
Akron makes one final trip to UPMC Park Aug. 16-21.
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Fightin' Phils come to town
The SeaWolves have just 25 home games remaining including six this week against Reading. It's the only series between the teams this year. Reading is three games out in the Northeast Division at 11-10, while Erie is 12-8 and one game back of Bowie in the Southwest Division.
The series starts with the final afternoon weekday game of the season on Tuesday at 12:35 p.m. before back-to-back 6:05 p.m. games. The SeaWolves have fireworks Friday after a 6:35 p.m. game, while the series continues with a 6:05 p.m. game Saturday and a 1:35 p.m. game on Sunday.
Reading features eight of the top 30 prospects for the Philadelphia Phillies. Logan O'Hoppe is the No. 3 prospect for the Phillies and was headed to East Carolina. Instead, the Phillies took the catcher out of high school in the 23rd round in 2018 and he started his professional career.
Outfielder Johan Rojas is the No. 4 prospect for the Phillies, signed as an international prospect out of the Dominican Republic in 2018.
The Phils also have pitchers Griff McGarry (No. 8), Francisco Morales (9) and Erik Miller (10) along with outfielders Jhailyn Ortiz (11) and Simon Muzziotti (19) and pitcher McKinley Moore (28).
Reshuffling the prospects
MLB.com has updated its list of top 30 prospects in the Detroit organization. As a result, the SeaWolves have nine of the top 30. Dingler is the highest-ranked prospect for Erie at No. 3, while Workman is No. 10. Flores is now No. 14, while starting pitcher Reese Olson is No. 15, outfielder Parker Meadows is No. 16 and outfielder Daniel Cabrera is No. 18. Infielder Andre Lipcius is No. 21 followed by pitcher Austin Bergner at No. 26 and infielder Wenceel Perez is now No. 30.
Several former SeaWolves are listed in the top 30 as well. Despite being on the Tigers' active roster, Greene is considered the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball while Ryan Kreidler is No. 6, Joey Wentz is No. 11, Garrett Hill is No. 22 and Kerry Carpenter is No. 23. Kreidler, Wentz, Hill and Carpenter are now with Triple-A Toledo.
Contact Tom Reisenweber at treisenweber@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNreisenweber.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie SeaWolves Dingler, Flores get taste of possible MLB futures
