Dylan Dodd makes Atlanta Braves rotation
Mar. 27—NORTH PORT, Fla. — Entering spring training, former Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin standout Dylan Dodd had no idea that he would be competing for a spot in 2023 Atlanta Braves rotation.
But on Sunday morning in manager Brian Snitker's office, Dodd along with Braves top-prospect Jared Shuster found out they had earned the final two spots in the Braves rotation behind Max Fried, Charlie Morton and Spencer Strider.
Dodd, a third-round draft pick in 2021, has thrown only 156 innings of professional baseball in his career and he openly admitted that he didn't think about making the Braves rotation when spring training started in February.
"A lot of the other guys have big-league time and have been good," Dodd said. "But, I just continued to put my head down and work and ended up being lucky enough to be in this spot."
The other guys that Dodd was talking about were former All-Star Mike Sorotka, Ian Anderson and Bryce Elder, but within the last month, it was announced that Dodd and Shuster were left battling for the No. 5 spot.
That competition became null and void on Sunday when it was announced that Kyle Wright, the only 20-game winner in Major League Baseball last season, would start the season on the 15-day injured list.
But neither Dodd nor Shuster knew this when they were summoned to the manager's office.
"It was a little weird," Dodd said. "I was like, 'Are they really going to tell one of us we're going?'"
No, actually, Snitker told both of them that they would be making a start within the first five games of the season.
"I know their minds were probably spinning," said Snitker. "They knew the numbers and they knew they done well."
Shuster, a first-round pick in 2020 from Wake Forest, finished the spring with a 1.45 ERA and 18 strikeouts and four walks in 18 2/3 innings, while Dodd had a 2.00 ERA with 20 strikeouts and four walks in 18 innings.
"It was super stressful," Dodd said. "It was like it was the biggest start of your life every time out. But as a Major League athlete, that's what you have to deal with most of the time."
Dodd is tentatively scheduled to get the start for the Braves on April 4 when Atlanta takes on the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
"I imagine there will be quite a few," said Dodd when asked about Bismarck people being in St. Louis that night. "I know a lot [of people] have reached out through this whole process."
Asked what this means to him, Dodd thought for a moment, smiled and did his best to put it into words.
"I mean, it's everything," he said. "I think this is everyone's dream when they're growing up, and now I get a chance to live it. It's important to not get comfortable here, to continue to work and continue to improve and stay here as long as you can."