Dayton Dragons 2024 Organization and Team Season Review

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MWL Dayton Dragons

Dayton Dragons 2024 Organization and Team Season Review

October 3, 2024 - Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


Dayton, Ohio - The Dayton Dragons 24th season of professional baseball featured many great highlights, both on and off the field. Here is a summary of the season.

The Dragons season began on April 5 and concluded on September 12. Here are some of the facts and statistics:

Final Record: 74-58

First Half: 34-32 (2nd in East Division)

Second Half: 40-26 (1st in East Division)

Midwest League Playoff Appearance: 0-2 (first since 2017)

Attendance

Final Attendance: 528,778 (66 dates)

Per Game Attendance Average: 8,012

The Dragons attendance average of 8,012 finished third among the 120 teams across all levels of Minor League Baseball, and their attendance total of 528,778 ranked fourth among all Minor League teams (note that Triple-A teams play 75 home games; Double-A teams play 69; High-A and Single-A teams play 66).

The Dragons finished first among the 60 Class-A teams in professional baseball, ranking #1 among Class-A teams for the 24th consecutive season (every year of the Dragons existence).

The Dragons finished #1 among all teams below the Triple-A level (Single-A and Double-A) for the 18th straight season. There are 90 teams below the Triple-A level in professional baseball.

The Dragons attendance average of 8,012 was their highest for a season since 2017. All 66 home games were able to start on their scheduled date, though one game was suspended due to rain.

The Dragons sell-out streak increased to 1,573 consecutive home dates (the streak was paused when the season was canceled in 2020, and again in 2021 when Minor League ballparks opened with limited capacity due to Covid).

The Dragons continued their successful Season Ticket Club in 2024. Season ticket holders received exclusive access to events, special Dragons gifts (a Dragons duffle bag, briefcase, special edition hat), 20% off in the Dragons Den Team Store, and 10% of the cost of their ticket package on a Dragons gift card that is redeemable at concession stands throughout the ballpark and the team store. Season Ticket Holders received access to the Dragons "Meet the Team" event featuring Dragons players and coaches where fans could receive autographs as well as access to the Dragons Family Movie Night to meet characters from the movie, enter to win raffle items, and play games before ending the evening watching a classic movie on the Dragons seven-story videoboard. They also received access to the Dragons Networking Night and Dragons Business Expo.

Community Support and Involvement in 2024

SUPPORT OF EDUCATION

The Academic All-Star program, presented by Edison State Community College, recognized five College Credit Plus Students at Edison State Community College. College Credit Plus (CCP) offers a unique opportunity for students to enhance and further their educational and career objectives while still in high school. CCP students can earn college and high school credit concurrently, accelerating their college careers at no cost.

The Dragons MVP program included nearly 1,200 fourth and fifth grade classrooms across the Miami Valley. The program completed its 19th year in 2024, impacting over 31,000 students and is made possible by the generous support of Ohio's 529 College Advantage, Roosters, WDTN and Dayton's CW. As part of the program, local teachers select five MVPs based on the criteria put in place by the teacher including performance, effort, citizenship, and improvement. The five MVPs receive four tickets to a Dragons game, access to an exclusive Dragons MVP Zone, an MVP certificate, and a Dragons MVP hat. The Dragons MVP program, along with mascots Heater and Gem and Dragons players visited six classrooms in the Miami Valley, as well.

The Dragons High School Baseball Showcase, presented by Bob Ross Auto Group, welcomed 24 local high school teams to play a regular-season game at Day Air Ballpark. The Showcase served as a fundraiser for participating schools, allowing them to sell Dragons tickets and raise money for their athletics departments. The Dragons host these high school baseball games, providing the ultimate experience for the players involved. The teams were able to provide their own PA announcers, cheer squads, national anthem singers, and some schools even brought their own radio broadcasters to the ballpark.

College Prep Night, presented by Day Air Credit Union on September 25, helped prospective college students find the right college fit. Attendees could visit over 70 colleges and universities and had the chance to win one of two, $1,000 scholarships from Day Air Credit Union.

The Dragons Field Trip program provided an educational experience for local schools and daycares. Students involved received a behind-the-scenes tour of Day Air Ballpark, photo on the field, and had the opportunity to run the bases.

Job shadowing provided the opportunity for high school and college students to see the ins and outs of working in the front office of a minor league baseball team.

Internship programs gave valuable experience to college students who are interested in working in sports business. These internships provide a well-rounded view of every department.

SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO SERVED

The Hometown Heroes Program: Five times during the 2024 baseball season, the Dragons partnered with the Dayton Development Coalition, Reynolds & Reynolds, HII Mission Technologies, and Synergy Building Systems for a season-long tribute to all service men and women past and present. There were four special spotlights (April 20, May 14, June 11, July 3) that each highlighted a different aspect or organization involved in the military. The season-long celebration wrapped up with American Celebration Night on August 24.

The Veteran Salute program, presented by Care Source Military & Veterans, highlighted five veteran's stories during the season. Veterans were honored at a Dragons game with an in-game ceremony and provided with VIP treatment during their special night. This program is an extension of CareSource's commitment to serve veterans and their families through innovative programs and partnerships to support their health and well-being. This season, the Dragons recognized Rhonda Cornum (Army, May 19), Merlo Fetherolf (Army, June 9), Charlynda Scales (Air Force, July 14), William Webster Jr. (Army, August 11), and Ian Williams (Air Force, September 1).

The Dragons understand the dedication it takes to serve in our nation's military and are proud to create special moments for those who give their oath to enlist and serve. During the 2024 season, the Dragons hosted Oath of Enlistments for the Air National Guard, Air Force, Army, and Navy. Each future service member was able to attend the Dragons game and celebrate afterwards with complimentary tickets for them and their families.

For the 2024 season, the Dragons and Minor League Baseball partnered with the Air National Guard to promote recruitment. Through this partnership, the Air National Guard received tickets to a Dragons game, hosted an Oath of Enlistment on the field, and played a recruitment video for Dragons fans before every other game or were featured in the Dragons game-day program, PlayBall!

The Dayton Dragons Foundation raised $11,278 as part of a holiday 50/50 raffle for Crayons to Classrooms.

The Dragons are proud to host multiple Honor Guards across the course of the season. These Honor Guards have featured multiple high school and colleges JROTC and ROTC programs, police and fire departments, military organizations, and the 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The Dragons honored Dayton firefighters and police with special recognition nights, presented by LION. The Dragons honored Dayton police officers on June 6 with 50 percent of the revenue from each ticket sold that night going to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Memorial Association. Dayton police officer Devin Portis sang the national anthem. The Dragons honored Dayton firefighters on August 10, with 50 percent of the revenue from each ticket sold that night going to the firefighter's charity of choice, The Hundred Club of Dayton. Members of the Dayton Fire Department served as honor guard in presenting colors for the national anthem.

SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO GIVE BACK

The Dragons partnered with Flying Ace Express Car Wash on the Community All-Stars Program, honoring Dayton's best individuals and organizations that are improving the quality of life in the Miami Valley. From firefighters to first responders to volunteers and good Samaritans, these honorees were highlighted during a game with a tribute video telling their story. Community All-Stars honored in 2024 included:

Dayton TWIGs: May 17

Norma J. Ross Foundation: June 14

Children's Dyslexia Center of Dayton: July 2

Emerge Recovery & Trade Initiative: August 8

Dayton Diaper Depot: August 30

The Dragons Home Run Challenge, presented by Kroger, donated 1,000 meals to the Dayton Foodbank for every home run hit at Day Air Ballpark. This season, the Dragons 66 home runs raised 66,000 meals for the Dayton Foodbank.

The Dragons 50/50 program is now in its eighth year and has raised more than $645,000 for various charities at Dragons games. Fans could purchase tickets from sellers at the ballpark, or online at daytondragons.com throughout the season. Winners of the 50/50 program received half of the total pot and the other half was donated to The Dayton Dragons Foundation which supported various charitable organizations and community programming in the Miami Valley.

Each year, the Dragons ticket fundraising program works with countless organizations to help them fundraise for their cause with the sale of Dragons tickets. Groups can sell tickets to a specific Dragons game and earn 50% of the proceeds from their ticket sales. In 2024, this program raised over $105,000.

The concessions fundraiser program benefitted various organizations throughout the Miami Valley. Over $7.2 million has been raised for groups who participated in this program including over $325,000 this year.

Many charitable walks take place at Day Air Ballpark as part of a fundraising effort for various charities and organizations. In 2024, this has or will include the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, the Walk to End Alzheimer's, Greater Dayton Heart Walk, the ALS Walk, and the Brain Tumor Foundation Walk.

The Dayton Dragons Foundation is central to our organization's effort to be involved in the community. The Foundation provides necessary funding and resources to support the countless donations, charitable giving requests, in-kind donations, unique game experiences, and community-wide programs which the Dragon support every year. Every year, we strive to do more and make a larger impact through our position as Dayton's hometown team. In 2024, we were able to provide monetary gifts totaling more than $35,000 to local non-profit and charity organizations.

SUPPORT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES

Home Run for Life, presented by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, treats special honorees that are overcoming significant medical events to a VIP experience at a Dragons game. During each Home Run for Life, Anthem hosts the honoree and his/her support team of family, friends, and medical staff in a luxury suite. Each honoree is recognized on the field during an inning break. The honoree, their family and support team are taken onto the field and the honoree gets to take a symbolic lap around the bases to a standing ovation from the crowd. Dates were May 15, June 12, July 10, and August 7.

The Dragons hosted their 14th annual Dragons 5K on July 14 at Day Air Ballpark presented by Orthopedic Associates. The event is one of the Miami Valley's biggest races and included 2,400 participants. The race course follows streets and paths around the ballpark in the heart of the Water Street and through Deeds MetroPark.

Recycling Bin Initiative (RBI), presented by Montgomery County Environmental Services, is a free, educational program that guides participants on how to recycle right and incentivizes green habits with prizes. Prizes included a behind-the-scenes tour, first pitch, suite night, and more. Dates in 2024 were June 13 and August 22.

SUPPORT OF LOCAL TALENT

The Dragons Present program, in partnership with Winsupply, focused on the talented individuals and groups in the Miami Valley. "Dragons Present" featured 32 groups and organizations that had the opportunity to display their talents before a Dragons game in a spotlighted area. They included:

LYD Band

University of Dayton Dance Team

National Trail Steel Drum Band

University of Dayton Irish Dance

Pamana Dance Group

Greenon High School Band

Madison Mohawks Steel Drum Band

Steel Drum Dave

Olohana's Polynesian Dance

Funk Lab Dance Center

Pro Cheer Lions

Kettering Civic Band

Owen Brockman

Bellbrook & Centerville Dance Academy

JDD Dance

Possum Creek Ramblers

Joyful Soles

Celtic Academy of Irish Dance

Central Jazz Big Band

VuDo Swing

Centerville High School Jazz Band

Showboat Cloggers

Miami Valley Dance Center

Barline

Dwyer School of Irish Dance

Troy Christian Marching Band

Dance Flash Fusion

Dayton Liederkranz-Turner German Club

Dayton Dance Conservatory

Wright State University Dance Team

Gem City Gymnastics

MAC Magic Cheer

The Dragons Celebrate Dayton program recognized the incredible people who achieve amazing things every day and their achievements. This year's honorees included the City of Dayton: LEED Platinum Status.

The Dragons also hosted a naturalization ceremony for 20 new citizens who took their oath of allegiance on the field during an inning break of the Dragons game on August 27. The crowd then joined in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with the newly naturalized citizens. This marked the fifth consecutive Dragons season in which a naturalization ceremony was held on the field during a Dragons game.

National Anthem Tryouts, presented by Dayton Daily News, kicked off the beginning of baseball season in the Miami Valley by giving performers the opportunity to tryout to perform before a Dragons game.

The Dragons and Montgomery County hosted a Job Fair for students and young adults. Attendees had the chance to meet with over 50 local companies to learn about current job opportunities.

Spotlight on Dayton showcased performance groups in the Dayton area - providing them a stage in front of a sold-out crowd including:

University of Dayton Irish Dance

University of Dayton Dance Team

Wright State University Dance Team

Centerville Coeds

Olohana's Polynesian Dance

Dayton Dance Conservatory

Dwyer School of Irish Dance

Pro Cheer Lions

Showboat Cloggers

VuDo Swing

DAY AIR BALLPARK EVENTS, HEART OF WATER STREET

On August 17, the Dragons and Heidelberg Distributing Company partnered for the 17th annual Great American Beer Tasting, bringing a wide variety of beers, ciders, and seltzers to Day Air Ballpark for fans to try. Each beer tasting ticket provided 20 four-ounce samples, a raffle ticket for high end prizes, souvenir shirt, pint glass with 4 oz. and 8 oz. pour lines, access to activities and games on the field, and more. The event in 2024 also included a new VIP ticket and food trucks at the ballpark. Designated driver tickets were also available with samples of non-alcoholic beverages.

This season, the Dragons partnered with their major league affiliate, the Cincinnati Reds, to host "Reds Day at the Dragons." On July 28, the Dragons hosted the Reds Rally Pack, mascots, Reds Hall of Fame, and special Reds alumni at Day Air Ballpark.

The University of Dayton baseball team played Davidson College at Day Air Ballpark on April 28. UD won the game, 7-6, with a walk-off victory before a lively crowd of 4,312.

On August 2, Day Air Ballpark was turned into the ultimate movie theatre for Donatos Movie Night. Fans brought blankets and sat on the outfield grass to watch the family favorite Kung Fu Panda 4 on the Dragons 2,000 sq. ft HD video board. Fans could order a pizza from participating Dayton-area Donatos locations to receive a box top form to claim up to five free tickets to the event.

On August 3, the Dragons season ticket holders enjoyed a Summer Fun theme with the Dragons Appreciation Party. Fans received a treat, unlimited soft drinks, and access to tons of activities around Day Air Ballpark all complimentary. From fun inflatables to a mechanical surfboard and dunk tank, fans enjoyed the event as a token of appreciation from the Dragons.

The Dragons hosted the Logan Wilson Celebrity Softball Game, presented by Kettering Health, on Saturday, June 1. The softball game acted as a team builder for the Bengals before they broke for Training Camp and featured a home run derby, on-field interviews, player and fan interaction, raffle prizes, and even helped raise awareness for The Brooks Joshua Anderson Foundation. Led by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson, he was joined by defensive end Sam Hubbard, head coach Zac Taylor, and many more Bengals favorites.

ENTERTAINMENT

DJ Banana returned for the 2024 season, spinning hits on Friday nights. Princess Jade, the Dragons princess, interacted with fans on the plaza before select home games. Other Dragons entertainment regulars, the Retirement Village People, returned in 2024 with choreographed dances on the dugouts. The Dragons also featured many special pre-game entertainment events on the plaza, including Star Wars night, animals, musical performances, dance groups, cheer squads, chalk artists, characters, and multiple car shows. Other outside entertainment included:

Team Zoom Canine Entertainment: May 4 & June 9

BirdZerk!: June 14

ZOOperstars: June 15

In 2024 young Dragons fans joined the Dragons Kids Club, presented by Hot Head Burritos. For just $29.99, members received a limited edition Dragons jersey, Dragons crossbody bag, Dragons hat, a free Kids Meal Voucher for Hot Head Burritos, two (2) Dragons lawn tickets, and a Fun Zone pass.

Throughout the 2024 season, kids ages 7-13 signed up at local Kroger stores for a chance to be a part of Dragons Baseball Buddies, presented by Kroger. Those picked received the full Dragons experience including a replica Dragons jersey and hat, Dragons souvenirs, and getting to run out on the field with a Dragons player during the starting lineup.

On June 7 and July 26, the Dragons hosted Scout Overnighters. On these nights, scouts from across the Miami Valley spent the night at Day Air Ballpark, camped on the outfield grass in tents. Scouts were able to watch Angels in the Outfield and The Super Mario Bros. Movie on the videoboard before going to sleep for the night.

On June 8, the Dragons wore their Marvel "Defenders of the Diamond" jerseys and hats in partnership with Minor League Baseball.

On the Field

The Dragons won the Midwest League East Division Second Half title in 2024 to earn a playoff berth, their first trip to the playoffs since 2017. The season included several team milestones.

The Dragons full-season winning percentage of .565 ranked third in franchise history, trailing 2011 (.593) and 2001 (.590).

The Dragons winning percentage in the Second Half of .615 ranked third in franchise history for best winning percentage in a half season, trailing only 2011, 2nd Half (48-22, .686); and 2007, 1st Half (44-26, .629).

The Dragons won 40 games in a half for the first time since the 1st Half in 2017 when they went 41-29 (Half-Seasons were 70 games prior to 2021; there are now 66 games).

The Dragons finished with a winning record in both halves for the second time in franchise history (2001: 41-29 & 41-28).

The Dragons won the Second Half East Division title for just the second time in franchise history (2011). They have two first half division titles (2001, 2007) and four playoff berths as a wildcard team (second place teams qualified for post-season prior to the 2021 season).

MLB Rehab Assignments

Reds pitchers Ian Gibaut and Brandon Williamson completed injury rehabilitation assignments with the Dragons in 2024. The appearances by Gibaut and Williamson brought the all-time number of Dragons MLB rehab assignments to 44.

Player Date Position

Ian Gibaut April 5, 7 P

Brandon Williamson May 14 P

Additionally, there were several Minor League injury rehab assignments with the Dragons in 2024 (players on the injured list at the Triple-A level of the Reds farm system. One of them, Jacob Hurtubise, went directly from the Dragons on May 12 to make his Major League debut with the Reds two days later.

Lowder Makes the Jump from the Dragons to the Reds

For the first time in franchise history, a player made the jump within a single season from the Dragons to the Reds. Starting pitcher Rhett Lowder was the Dragons opening night starting pitcher on April 5 and spent the first month of the season with Dayton. After stops with Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville, Lowder was called up to the Reds to make his MLB debut on August 30. Lowder eventually made six starts for the Reds, posting a sensational earned run average of 1.17.

Many Top Reds Prospects at Day Air Ballpark

The Dragons 2024 roster was filled with many of the top prospects within the Reds system. For just the third time in Dragons history, the team's opening night roster featured the Reds two most recent number one draft picks (this had occurred in 2000 and 2014). Lowder, the Reds number one pick in 2023, and third baseman Cam Collier, the first rounder in 2022, both began the 2024 season with the Dragons (Collier spent the entire season with the Dayton club).

The Dragons opening night roster included five of the top-10 Reds prospects on the Baseball America Reds top-30 list. Along with Lowder and Collier, the roster also featured center fielder/second baseman Carlos Jorge (Reds #6 prospect); third baseman Sal Stewart (Reds #7 prospect), and middle infielder Leo Balcazar (Reds #8 prospect).

Additionally, shortstop Victor Acosta was ranked #19 by Baseball America, and outfielder Hector Rodriguez was ranked #20, giving the Dragons seven players ranked among the Reds top-20 by Baseball America. Outfielder Ethan O'Donnell and Jay Allen II did not appear on the Baseball America Reds top-30 list at the start of the season, but they were both on the MLB Pipeline Reds top-30 list, with O'Donnell at #23 and Allen at #25, giving the Dragons nine players within the Reds top-25 on the MLB Pipeline list.

Memorable Moments on the Field in 2024

On April 17 against Fort Wayne, Luis Mey fired a fastball at 103 mph to break the record at Day Air Ballpark of 102 by Hunter Greene in 2018.

On April 26 in a 14-10 win at Lansing, the Dragons collected 20 hits for the first time since they had 24 on July 4, 2012 and reached a season-high for runs in a game as 2023 #1 draft pick Rhett Lowder picked up his first professional win. The Dragons offense was led by Carlos Jorge, who became the first Dayton player to collect three extra base hits in a game since Mat Nelson last August. Jorge had a home run, two doubles, and four RBI. Sal Stewart added a home run, double, four RBI, and three walks. Cade Hunter had four hits. The Dragons built a 14-1 lead going to the bottom of the eighth inning and held on to win. Dayton was 20 for 41 (.488) as a team and had eight hits with men in scoring position. This was the first time the Dragons won a game in which the opponent scored at least 10 runs since August 22, 2016 (11-10 over Lansing in what is recalled as the "skunk game."

On April 28 at Lansing, Jay Allen II tied a club record with five hits in a game. The last player to do it was Jose Barrero (then known as Jose Garcia) in 2018.

On May 22 at Quad Cities in the second game of a doubleheader, the Dragons trailed 6-3 entering the final inning (7th) and still trailed 6-4 with two outs and two strikes when Carlos Jorge hit a game-tying two-run home run. The Dragons won the game in extra innings on a two-run single by Jay Allen II. This was the first time the Dragons won a game despite trailing by at least three runs going to the final inning since May 4, 2022 in the first game of a doubleheader with Lake County. It is believed to be the first time the Dragons have trailed by at least three runs entering the final inning and tied or took the lead via a home run in that inning, and went on to win the game, since July 18, 2013, when Seth Mejias-Brean hit a walk-off grand slam while trailing by three. In 2023, in a game when the Dragons trailed by two runs in the final inning, Ruben Ibarra hit a ninth inning two-out three-run home run for the lead and eventual win.

On May 26 at Quad Cities, the Dragons defeated the River Bandits 15-2. The Dragons established season highs for most runs in a game, most home runs (4), and largest margin of victory. This was the first time the Dragons had 15 or more runs and 19 or more hits in a game since June 5, 2021 at Lake County. Cam Collier had four hits including a home run, and he became the first Dayton player to score four runs in a game since Brian Rey on August 3, 2022. Hector Rodriguez also had four hits. This was the first time two Dayton players had at least four hits in a game since April 12, 2018 (Jeter Downs and Hendrik Clementina). Carlos Jorge, Victor Acosta, and Sal Stewart also added home runs. It was the first time the Dragons had four different players hit a home run in a game since September 9, 2022 at Lansing, when they had five players hit homers. Jared Lyons struck out 10 over six innings, retiring 17 of the first 18 hitters he faced.

On June 14 vs. Great Lakes, the Dragons trailed 3-0 going to the bottom of the ninth inning before rallying to score four in the ninth to win, 4-3. It was the first time since June 15, 2021 that the Dragons scored at least four runs in the bottom of the ninth to win. The Dragons scored the tying and winning runs on wild pitches on back-to-back pitches with two outs. Leo Balcazar raced in from third to beat the tag on a close play to end the game.

On June 15 vs. Great Lakes, the Dragons trailed 4-2 going to the bottom of the ninth inning before scoring three runs in the ninth to win, 5-4. Carlos Jorge hit a two-run home run to tie the game and Logan Tanner's one-out, RBI single brought in the winning run. It marked the first time since 2019 that the Dragons had walk-off wins in consecutive games, and the first time since record-keeping of walk-offs began in 2010 that the Dragons erased a ninth inning deficit to earn a ninth inning walk-off win in consecutive games.

Dragons starting pitcher Ryan Cardona enjoyed two straight starts without allowing a hit, July 2 vs. Lake County and July 9 vs. South Bend. He tossed 11 consecutive no-hit innings over the two starts.

On July 23 vs. Fort Wayne, Hector Rodriguez had one of the biggest individual performances in recent years. He belted two home runs including a grand slam and drove in six runs, most RBI in a game for any Dragons players since Quin Cotton drove in six in 2021.

On August 15 at Fort Wayne, the Dragons collected at least one hit in every inning and scored runs in eight of the nine innings, defeating the TinCaps 14-3. The Dragons had seven doubles, their most in a game since July 5, 2019. Ethan O'Donnell had three doubles while Hector Rodriguez had four hits including two doubles. John Michael Faile, in his first game with the Dragons, had a homer in his second at-bat, and then belted home runs in his next two games with the Dragons as well.

On August 23 vs. Cedar Rapids, Cam Collier became just the second player in Dragons history to hit three home runs in a home game. Collier drove in five runs in the Dragons 11-4 win, their ninth consecutive victory. The winning streak, which ended the next night, matched the third longest in franchise history.

On September 2 at Great Lakes, the Dragons produced a season-low one hit, a second inning bunt single by Jay Allen II, but pulled out a 1-0 victory to clinch their first playoff berth since 2017. Dayton pitchers Ryan Cardona, Brody Jessee, and Simon Miller combined on a three-hit shutout.

Dragons Award Winners

Midwest League Full-Season All-Stars

Player Position

Cam Collier Third Baseman

Ethan O'Donnell Outfielder

Sal Stewart Utility

Midwest League Player/Pitcher of the Week

Player Batter/Pitcher Dates

Rhett Lowder Pitcher 4/22-4/28

Johnathan Harmon Pitcher 6/3-6/9

Ryan Cardona Pitcher 7/1-7/7

Carlos Jorge Player 7/22-7/28

Gabriel Aguilera Pitcher 7/22-7/28

Cam Collier Player 7/30-8/4

Midwest League Player/Pitcher of the Month

Player Batter/Pitcher Month

Jared Lyons Pitcher May

Dragons Cincinnati Reds Minor League Player/Pitcher of the Month

Player Batter/Pitcher Month

Cam Collier Batter April

Sal Stewart Batter May

Jared Lyons Pitcher May

Ryan Cardona Pitcher July

Ethan O'Donnell Batter August

Dragons Players Selected to Play in All-Star Futures Game

Cam Collier July 13 Hosted by Texas Rangers

2024 Dragons Team Leaders

Batting

Batting Average: Hector Rodriguez, .274 (qualifier: minimum 356 plate app.)

Home Runs: Cam Collier, 20

Runs Batted In: Cam Collier, 74

Stolen Bases: Jay Allen II, 35

Games Played: Hector Rodriguez, 125

Pitching

Victories: Ryan Cardona, 9

Earned Run Average: None qualified (qualifier; minimum 105 IP)

Ryan Cardona, 3.29 ERA (104 IP)

Saves: Luis Mey, 8

Simon Miller, 8

John Murphy, 8

Games Pitched: Brock Bell, 35

Innings Pitched: Ryan Cardona, 104

Strikeouts: Ryan Cardona, 120

Dragons among the Midwest League Leaders

Batters

Batting Average: Hector Rodriguez, 7th (.274)

Home Runs: Cam Collier, Tied-2nd (20)

Carlos Jorge, Tied-10th (12)

Hector Rodriguez, Tied-10th (12)

RBI: Cam Collier, 2nd (74)

Hector Rodriguez, 9th (61)

Runs: Cam Collier, Tied-2nd (72)

Jay Allen II, Tied-8th (65)

Hector Rodriguez, Tied-8th (65)

Stolen Bases: Jay Allen II, 6th (35)

Hits: Hector Rodriguez, 1st (139)

Doubles: Hector Rodriguez, Tied-6th (24)

Extra Base Hits: Hector Rodriguez, 2nd (43)

Cam Collier, 3rd (42)

On-base percentage: Jay Allen II, 8th (.372)

Ethan O'Donnell, 10th (.358)

Slugging percentage: Cam Collier, 6th (.443)

OPS: Cam Collier, 8th (.798)

Pitchers

Wins: Ryan Cardona, Tied-1st (9)

Saves: Luis Mey, Tied-7th (8)

Simon Miller, Tied-7th (8)

John Murphy, Tied-7th (8)

Strikeouts: Ryan Cardona, 5th (120)

Dragons Broadcast Information in 2024

In 2024, 15 Dragons games were televised live on a major TV "over the air" station, Dayton's CW (Channel 26). All 132 regular season games were broadcast on radio on WONE 980 AM and the Dragons Mobile App.

43 Former Dragons Played in Major Leagues in 2024

Former Dragons who Made Major League Baseball Debuts in 2024 (149 total since 2000)

Julian Aguiar (Reds)

Blake Dunn (Reds)

Rece Hinds (Reds)

Jacob Hurtubise (Reds)

Evan Kravetz (Reds)

Rhett Lowder (Reds)

Eric Yang (Reds)

Additional Former Dragons Who Played for the Reds in 2024 (13)

Andrew Abbott

Tejay Antone

Graham Ashcraft

Elly De La Cruz

Alexis Diaz

Stuart Fairchild

TJ Friedl

Hunter Greene

Jonathan India

Noelvi Marte

Tony Santillan

Tyler Stephenson

Carson Spiers

Additional Former Dragons Who Played for Other MLB Teams in 2024 (23)

Tucker Barnhart (Diamondbacks)

Brennan Bernardino (Red Sox)

Joe Boyle (Athletics)

Johnny Cueto (Angels)

Noah Davis (Rockies)

Daniel Duarte (Twins)

Amir Garrett (Angels)

Joe Hudson (Mets)

Joel Kuhnel (Astros/Rays)

Michael Lorenzen (Royals/Rangers)

Tyler Mahle (Rangers)

Wandy Peralta (Padres)

Tanner Rainey (Nationals)

Miguel Rojas (Dodgers)

Eduardo Salazar (Dodgers/Nationals)

Nick Senzel (White Sox/Nationals)

Michael Siani (Cardinals)

Jose Siri (Rays)

Jackson Stephens (Braves)

Taylor Trammell (Dodgers/Yankees)

Chad Tromp (Braves)

Justin Turner (Mariners/Blue Jays)

Jesse Winker (Mets/Nationals)


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