How Louisville's Dalton Rushing transformed from 'baby fat' to a possible first-round pick

Shortly after Louisville baseball’s season ended, head coach Dan McDonnell met with catcher Dalton Rushing.

McDonnell was overcome with pride and congratulated the junior on how far he’s come in his three years with the Cardinals. The Dalton Rushing that came to Louisville from Brighton, Tennessee three years ago pales in comparison to the one who was two home runs shy of breaking Chris Dominguez’s single-season record of 25 homers this spring.

Rushing’s evolution has been years in the making and took form as one of the driving forces behind Louisville’s super regionals postseason appearance.

“As a coach, you feel like a proud papa,” McDonnell said, “because you tell these kids, we can't sprinkle magic dust over your head and make you great, but this is a program where if you want to be great, it can happen.”

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It’s all been part of Rushing’s plan: He made a goal to change his body structure, and he did. This year, he made a goal to help Louisville get back on track after an uncharacteristic absence from the NCAA Tournament in 2021, which he checked off, too. He’s got one more goal to achieve to cement his Cardinals career: pro player.

Rushing expects to hear his name called Sunday in the 2022 MLB draft. MLB draft senior writer Jim Callis has projected the junior to go in the supplemental first round or second round.

“If you told me that he snuck into the first round, like, say, picks 21 through 30, as this offensive-minded, catcher who has power, controls the strike zone and all that, I could see that,” Callis said. “I think he's gonna go pretty good in the draft.”

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In the time since the Cardinals’ season ended almost a month ago, Rushing’s focus has been preparing for the draft and staying in shape. A 6 a.m. wakeup call is followed by weightlifting an hour later then helping at McDonnell’s baseball camps. Not only does it give him an opportunity to be around baseball, but it keeps him humble, in some ways, knowing that the next generation of baseball players are watching.

“These kids come here, they look up to you,” Rushing said. “They really, really take pride in everything that you do. Even something as small as saying something (to the kids), a whiffle ball game in the middle of camp. ... It's something you really appreciate at this level as a player. You realize how much of a role model you are not only like some kids around the area, but guys all around.”

Putting in the work

Rushing didn't look the part — at 5-foot-11, 235 pounds — of a future first- or second-round pick when he arrived on campus as a freshman. He had to make some changes.

“You went from, I don't know, baby fat is the right word, phrase, but his body wasn't going to be featured on any muscle magazine. Let's put it that way,” McDonnell said. “He got tightened up. He got stronger, leaner.”

Looking back, Rushing said he didn’t take getting healthier as seriously his first season with the Cardinals. And mentally he had some maturing to do.

“Everyone's got a different sense, but for me, it was being able to handle the speed of the game,” Rushing said, “and how quickly it can hit you and how quickly it can tear you down. That was something I had to really transform.”

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Maturing came with experience and taking on a bigger leadership role. Changing his body composition came with discipline and forming better habits. Now 6-1, 220, Rushing is more toned, which McDonnell said helped with flexibility and athleticism.

“I started to eat better,” Rushing said, “started to switch my lifts around a little bit more, maintaining and focusing on holding up through a full season rather than trying to put on all this weight and be the strongest guy in the weight room.”

Seeing the results

A productive summer of hitting .319 with seven home runs, 10 doubles and 30 RBIs in 39 games with the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League prior to his junior year was proof in the pudding. Rushing followed that up with a strong junior season with U of L, batting .310 with 62 RBIs, 23 home runs, 68 runs scored and four stolen bases. His one weakness is striking out — 58 times in 226 at-bats, at 25.7% rate.

For as good as his offensive numbers were, McDonnell noted Rushing’s defense isn’t too shabby either. He threw out nine runners on 21 stolen-base attempts this season, showing off a capable arm.

“I know most of the area scouts I talked to think he's a better receiver than Henry Davis,” Callis said of Rushing. “They're not saying he's a better player, but he's a better receiver than Henry Davis was. He's got a solid arm.”

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MLB.com gives Rushing grades 50 (hitting), 55 (power), 20 (running), 55 (arm), 45 (fielding) and 50 (overall). Baseball tools are graded on a scale of 0-80, with 80 the highest possible ranking.

Rushing played behind Davis, the Cardinals’ first-ever No. 1 pick in 2021, for two years and learned from him. The two are still close and talk often. Davis has been offering advice on draft preparation lately.

“He's pretty adamant on like, just settle down,” Rushing said of Davis. “Let everything come to you. Don't try and make the draft work in your favor because at the end of the day, you're gonna go where you go. It's not your choice. If it was your choice, a lot of guys would be first-rounders or top-three rounders, whatever their goal may be, but at the end of the day it's out of your hands. So, something is really said to me and just kind of stay level-headed about it.”

That Rushing didn't get extensive time behind the plate, serving as Davis's backup, until this year is perhaps the biggest knock on his projection. There are questions he will stick long term as a backstop, his preferred position, and instead slide to first base or designated hitter as he progresses through the minors.

McDonnell believes Rushing’s professional baseball fate will be decided sooner than later Sunday. He said he’s heard Rushing mentioned anywhere from No. 7 to 28.

“I'd be somewhat surprised if 20 clubs pass on the unique set of skills that he has, where there's just, you know, there's gonna be hard-throwing right handers, and there's gonna be hard-throwing left handers," McDonnell said. “There's gonna be athletic players, but how many left-handed power bats that catch are in the draft every year? So, to me, he puts himself in a really unique category. It's hard to pass that up.”

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Rushing said he’s spoken with just about every club and isn't concerned about which one picks him up. As long as he makes the pros, he'll be content.

"There's nothing for sure that you can lock your mind on with the draft. It's whatever is gonna fit you best and you'll go where you go,” Rushing added. “That's the best mindset to have with it. You can't really … anticipate a certain team. That organization, if they want you, they're going to offer the opportunity and that's where you hit the ground running.”

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: MLB draft preview: Louisville's Dalton Rushing becomes complete player