MWL Dayton Dragons

Dragons 2023 Season Review

September 18, 2023 - Midwest League (MWL)
Dayton Dragons News Release


DAYTON, OHIO - The Dayton Dragons have completed their 23rd season of professional baseball. This season featured incredible baseball with 10 former Dragons making their major league debut, a continued support of the community, and a third generation of Dragons fans enjoying great family-fun entertainment.

ATTENDANCE

The Miami Valley ensured the continuation of the Dragons historic sell-out streak, bringing the new total to 1,507 sellouts. On average, 7,887 fans were in attendance for Dragons home games at Day Air Ballpark, in the heart of the Water Street District. At the conclusion of the Dragons season, they ranked #2 in both total attendance and average attendance per home date in all Minor League Baseball (120 teams; Triple-A and Double-A have additional games). The Dragons finished first in Class-A baseball for the 23rd straight season and finished as the #1 ranked team below the Triple-A level for the 17th straight season. The Dragons totaled over 520,433 fans in attendance for the 2023 season, across 66 games. This ranked in the top 10 for all classifications of Minor League Baseball for the 23rd straight season.

The Dragons season began on April 7 and concluded on September 10. Here are some of the facts and statistics:

Final Record: 67-65

First Half: 33-33 (2nd in East Division)

Second Half: 34-32 (4th in East Division)

New in 2023, the Dragons introduced two new season ticket clubs - the Dragons Family Club and Business Club. Listening to feedback from fans, the Dragons saw that all fans were purchasing season tickets either for their personal use with their family or friends or they were purchasing for their business. The new clubs for season ticket holders were tailored to be a better fit for their family and business needs. To better accommodate the needs of the Dragons season ticket holders, the two new clubs provided exclusive access to events and a tailored, pending which club you were in, a Dragons bobblehead, 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. The Dragons Family Club members received access to the Dragons "Meet the Team" event featuring Dragons players and coaches where fans could receive autographs and photos with Reds alumni in attendance 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. Dragons Business Club members received access to the Dragons Networking Night and Dragons Business Expo, presented by Dayton Business Journal. With both events, season ticket holders could meet other businesses in the Miami Valley and connect to further their business.

SUPPORT OF EDUCATION

The new 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.

Preschool Promise hosted a kick-off for their 112 partner schools before the start of classes. The event featured three presentations, a complimentary ballpark buffet, inflatables, carnival games, and more.

The Dragons MVP program includes over 1,000 fourth and fifth grade classrooms across the Miami Valley. The program completed its 18th year in 2023, impacting over 31,000 students and is made possible by the generous support of Ohio's 529 College Advantage, Energy Optimizers, 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 32 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, is coming up on Wednesday, September 27 and will help prospective college students find the right college fit. Attendees can visit over 70 colleges and universities and have the chance to win one of two, $1,000 scholarships from Day Air Credit Union if they pre-register. To learn more, visit daytondragons.com/collegeprep.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program partnered with the Dayton Dragons from August 1 through August 27, providing first game certificates, children's books, and bookmarks that allow parents or guardians to directly sign their children up for the program. On Sunday, August 27, the Dragons hosted a sign-up booth, first pitch, graduation ceremony, and more to bring awareness to the program.

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, presented by Dayton Development Coalition, Reynolds & Reynolds, and Resonant Sciences, hosted military families at every Dragons game throughout the season to express appreciation to the brave men and women serving in our armed forces. The program also hosted four spotlight nights where we recognized military groups and individuals for their commitment to serve the military community.

The Dragons Veteran Salute program, presented by CareSource Military & Veterans™, highlighted five veterans' stories during the season. Selected veterans were recognized at multiple Dragons games with an in-game video board moment and provided with VIP treatment when they attended the Dragons game. This season, the Dragons recognized Bernie Martin (Army), William Schultz (Air Force), Ray Snedegar (Air Force), Nick Freisthler (Marine Corps.), and Teresa Bruner (Navy).

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 2023 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 2023 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, played a recruitment video for Dragons fans before every other game, and were featured in the Dragons game-day program, PlayBall!, 66 times.

On Tuesday, April 11, the Dragons 2023 season was opened with a rendition of the National Anthem performed by Master Sergeant Tiffany Porterfield, Command Munitions Manager at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Dayton Daily News' National Anthem Contest Grand Prize Winner.

The Dayton Dragons Foundation raised $17,327.50 as part of a holiday 50/50 raffle for the Fisher/Nightingale Houses at Dayton VA Medical Center. Fisher/Nightingale Houses, Inc. build comfortable homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost. The Fisher Houses give military personnel and veterans the chance to be together and support one another while a loved one is receiving medical care. They also provide them with physical and emotional assistance.

Dayton Dragons President, Robert Murphy, was named an Honorary Commander as part of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's Honorary Commanders program. The Honorary Commanders Program objective is to educate local leaders about a unit's mission and foster a supportive relationship with the community. It also serves as a forum in which Wright-Patt commanders can solicit advice and support on matters affecting military and civilian communities. Each Honorary Commander is paired with a Wright-Patterson Air Force Base commander for a two-year term. All events and interactions are designed to encourage an exchange of ideas, experiences and friendship between the local and Wright-Patt military communities.

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. Members of the Dayton Fire Department and Dayton Police Department served as honor guard in presenting colors for the national anthem.

SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO GIVE BACK

Community All-Star program, presented by Flying Ace Express Car Wash, honors organizations who have gone above and beyond the call of their civic duty to improve the quality of life in the Miami Valley. These amazing stories are shared in our game program in and front of a sold-out crowd. In 2023, we honored Ohio Task Force 1, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Victory Project, On Our Sleeves, and Good Neighbor House.

The Dragons Home Run Challenge, presented by Bone Dry Roofing, donated 1,200 meals to the Dayton Foodbank for every home run hit at Day Air Ballpark. This season, the Dragons 62 home runs have raised 74,400 meals for the Dayton Foodbank.

The Dragons 50/50 program is now in its seventh 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 2023, this program raised over $84,000.

The concessions fundraiser program benefitted various organizations throughout the Miami Valley. Over $6 million has been raised for groups who participated in this program including over $135,000 this year.

Many charitable walks take place at Day Air Ballpark as part of a fundraising effort for various charities and organizations. In 2023, this included 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 2023, 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.

The Dragons 5K, presented by Orthopedic Associates of Southwest Ohio, is one of the Miami Valley's biggest races with 2,200 participants participating. The racecourse follows streets and paths around the ballpark in the heart of the Water Street and through Deeds MetroPark.

Dayton Children's was visited by Spiderman and Black Panther as part of the Dragons "Defenders of the Diamond" night, in partnership with Minor League Baseball, on Friday, August 4. Spiderman and Black Panther were able to sign autographs, take photos with the families, and brighten the spirits of the patients. Later, Spiderman and Black Panther visited with families at the Dragons game.

Recycling Bin Initiative, 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.

SUPPORT OF LOCAL TALENT

The Dragons Present program, new for 2023, focused on the talented individuals and groups in the Miami Valley. "Dragons Present" featured over 60 groups and organizations that had the opportunity to display their talents before a Dragons game in a spotlighted area.

The Dragons Celebrate Dayton program, presented by Sinclair College, recognized the incredible people who achieve amazing things every day and their achievements. This year's honorees included Dayton Public Schools Valedictorians & Salutatorians, Superintendent of the Year Dr. Lolli, a naturalization ceremony where migrants made their first vow to become an American citizen, a celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the Dayton Daily News, the Dayton Air Show, and Gold Medal for Excellence Winner Dawnjene DeLong.

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:

5 Point Cloggers

Barline a capella

Beavercreek Juniors Dance Team

Catalyst a capella

Celina Bulldogs Cheer

Celtic Academy of Irish Dance

Dancekids

Dayton Dance Conservatory

Dwyer School of Irish Dance

JDD Dance

jersey joe

Joyful Soles

LYD Band

Madison Mohawks Steel Drum Band

Miami Valley Dance Center

National Trail High School Steel Drum Band

Owen Brockman

Pro Cheer Lions

Showboat Cloggers

The Nelons

Troy Christian Marching Band

Tuneshoft a capella

Turn Out Dance Academy

Viel Spass Band

VuDo Swing

DAY AIR BALLPARK EVENTS, HEART OF WATER STREET

On August 12, the Dragons and Heidelberg Distributing Company partnered for the 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. 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" and bring back "Dayton Day at the Reds" for the second season. On Thursday, July 6, the Dragons hosted the Reds Rally Pack, mascots, Reds Hall of Fame, and special Reds alumni at Day Air Ballpark. Dragons mascots, Green Team, and other special guests from Dayton joined the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sunday, August 20 to bring the "Gem City" to the crowds of Cincinnati.

The University of Dayton baseball team played Wright State University for a "Crosstown Showdown" game at Day Air Ballpark.

On August 18, 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 The Super Mario Bros. Movie 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 19, the Dragons took season ticket holders back in time to the 80's with the Dragons Appreciation Party. Fans received a nostalgic treat, unlimited soft drinks, and access to tons of activities around Day Air Ballpark all complimentary. From fun inflatables to classic arcade games, and even the popular 80's cover band Stranger, fans enjoyed an all-out 80's event as a token of appreciation from the Dragons.

The Dragons hosted the Logan Wilson Celebrity Softball Game, presented by Kettering Health, on Wednesday, June 14. The softball game acted as a team builder for the 2022 AFC Champions 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 Chad "OCHOCINCO" Johnson, captain and defensive end Sam Hubbard, head coach Zac Taylor, and many more.

ENTERTAINMENT

Dragons Post-Game Fireworks, presented by Tipico Sportsbook, put on six spectacular fireworks show at Day Air Ballpark.

DJ Banana made his debut for the 2023 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 2023 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. The annual Vintage Game featured the Dayton Clodbusters and the Cincinnati Red Stockings on Saturday, June 3. Other outside entertainment included:

BirdZerk: Friday, July 7

ZOOperstars: Saturday, July 8

Team Zoom: Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, July 23

In 2023 young Dragons fans joined the Dragons Kids Club, presented by Hot Head Burritos. For just $24.99, members received a replica Dragons jersey, Dragons lunch bag, Dragons hat, a free Kids Meal Voucher for Hot Head Burritos, a Dragons Activity Booklet and two (2) Dragons lawn tickets.

Throughout the 2023 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 2 and July 21, 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 The Sand Lot and The Incredibles on the videoboard before going to sleep for the night.

On Friday, August 4, the Dragons debuted their Marvel "Defenders of the Diamond" jerseys and hats in partnership with Minor League Baseball.

ON THE FIELD

Third Straight Year with a Winning Record

The Dragons finished the 2023 season with a winning record for the third straight year, a difficult accomplishment in Minor League Baseball, when a team's best players move up from season-to-season, creating a rebuilding year after every successful campaign. Only three other Midwest League teams (Great Lakes, Lake County, Cedar Rapids) have posted winning records each year from 2021 to 2023.

Dragons Players on Lightning-Fast Track to Reds

Dragons fans knew there was a lot of talent on the field for the Dragons in 2022, and the aftermath in 2023 proved that perspective to be correct. Amazingly, four members of the 2022 Dragons played for the Reds in 2023, including Elly De La Cruz and Andrew Abbott, two of the top rookies in the National League. Noelvi Marte and Connor Phillips also made the jump from the 2022 Dragons to the 2023 Reds. Additionally, Matt McLain and Graham Ashcraft, members of the 2021 Dragons, were two of the Reds best players in 2023. The quick climb can be partly credited to the change for the Dragons from Low-A to High-A prior to the start of the 2021 season.

More Top Prospects in Dayton in 2023

MLB Pipeline's list of top 30 prospects in the Reds organization at the end of the 2023 season featured a whopping 10 players who had played for the Dragons in 2023, including four of the top 10. The list of Dragons prospects was headlined by shortstop Edwin Arroyo, who spent the entire year with the Dragons, and was ranked as the Reds #3 prospect. Arroyo, who turned 20 years old on August 25, was the youngest player to log at least 250 at-bats in the Midwest League this season. Pitcher Chase Petty, who spent most of the season with the Dragons, was ranked as the Reds #6 prospect. Dragons third baseman Sal Stewart was ranked #7, and second baseman Carlos Jorge was #9. Additionally, outfielder Hector Rodriguez was ranked as the Reds #16 prospect, outfielder Jay Allen II was #17, pitcher Julian Aguiar #21, outfielder Blake Dunn #22, outfielder Austin Hendrick #27, and relief pitcher Zach Maxwell #30.

Gold Gloves

In 2022, the Dragons broke a significant club record for team fielding when they committed just 107 errors in a season. In 2023, while playing four more games than they had in '22, the Dragons broke the record again, committing just 102 errors. Assistant coach Osmin Melendez led daily defensive drills all season. Three Dragons players were named in Baseball America's survey of Midwest League managers as the best defensive players at their positions in the circuit in 2023: catcher Mat Nelson, shortstop Edwin Arroyo, and first baseman Ruben Ibarra.

Watch Justice Thompson with one of the season's best plays.

Home Run Derby

Also in 2022, the Dragons broke a club record for home runs that had stood for 21 years, hitting 152 long balls. They did not quite reach that number in 2023, but they did post the third highest total in team history, behind only the 2022 team and the 2001 Dragons club, with 130 home runs. The Dragons total of 282 home runs over consecutive years in 2022-23 easily topped the previous club record for home runs in back-to-back years of 258 in 2000-01. Five Dragons players hit at least 10 home runs in 2023, led by Mat Nelson and Ruben Ibarra, each with 18. Austin Hendrick (14), Edwin Arroyo (13), and Jack Rogers (13) also reached double-figures.

The Dunn & Aguiar Show

Dragons fans had the chance to watch two players who will be heavy favorites to win the Reds Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year awards for 2023. With the nature of Minor League Baseball being such that top-performing players often are promoted during the season, neither player spent the full year in Dayton, but both outfielder Blake Dunn and starting pitcher Julian Aguiar both spent significant time with the Dragons. Dunn won the Reds Minor League Player of the Month Award with the Dragons in April (batting .386 with five home runs and 11 stolen bases) and stayed with the Dragons through June 4. Aguiar was the Reds Minor League Pitcher of the Month as a member of the Dragons in May (posting an ERA of 0.41) and remained with the Dayton club through July 8. Both players are atop the leader board for the Reds organization in important categories for the year, combining their time in Dayton with their performances in Double-A Chattanooga. Dunn eventually became the first Reds Minor League player since 1982 to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 50 bases in the same season.

Watch Dunn's inside-the-park home run on April 29.

Hard Throwers

Dragons relievers Zach Maxwell and Andrew Moore combined for an accomplishment that may have never been done before in the Midwest League. On August 16 vs. Fort Wayne, Moore reached 100 mph with his fastball in the sixth inning. Maxwell pitched the seventh, and he also reached 100 mph. Two different pitchers in consecutive innings reached triple-digits with their fastballs. While no official record exists for this effort, it is hard to imagine it has happened many times previously anywhere in the league, if at all. Maxwell topped out at 101 mph at Day Air Ballpark in 2023, just short of the stadium record of 102 by Hunter Greene in 2018. Maxwell is believed to be just the fourth pitcher to reach 101, joining Greene, Aroldis Chapman, and Aneurys Zabala.

Dragons Award Winners

Midwest League Player or Pitcher of the Week

Player Batter/Pitcher Dates Notes

Blake Dunn Batter 4/25-4/30 .550 Avg.; 3 HR, 10 RBI, 4 SB, 6 G

Brooks Crawford Pitcher 7/3-7/9 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO

Midwest League Player or Pitcher of the Month

Player Batter/Pitcher Month Notes

Blake Dunn Batter April .386 Avg.; 5 HR, 18 RBI, 11 SB, 1.240 OPS

Julian Aguiar Pitcher May 2-0, 0.41, 22 IP, 1 ER, .099 Opp. Avg.

Dragons Cincinnati Reds Minor League Player or Pitcher of the Month

Player Batter/Pitcher Month Notes

Blake Dunn Batter April .386 Avg.; 5 HR, 18 RBI, 11 SB, 1.240 OPS

Julian Aguiar Pitcher May 2-0, 0.41, 22 IP, 1 ER, .099 Opp. Avg.

Dragons on Baseball America's Midwest League "Best Tools" Survey

Minor League Baseball's trade publication, Baseball America, conducted a survey of Midwest League managers of the "best tools" in the circuit:

Zach Maxwell Best Fastball

Julian Aguiar Best Changeup

Mat Nelson Best Defensive Catcher

Ruben Ibarra Best Defensive First Baseman

Edwin Arroyo Best Defensive Shortstop

2023 Dragons Team Leaders

Batting:

Batting Average: Jack Rogers, .258 (qualifier: minimum 345 plate app.)

Sal Stewart, .291 (non-qualifier: 131 plate app.)

Home Runs: Ruben Ibarra/Mat Nelson, 18

Runs Batted In: Ruben Ibarra/Jack Rogers, 63

Stolen Bases: Edwin Arroyo, 28

Games Played: Austin Hendrick, 125

Pitching Victories: Jose Acuña/Brooks Crawford, 7

Earned Run Average: None qualified (qualifier; min. 102 IP)

Julian Aguiar, 1.92 (non-qualifier: 70.1 IP)

Saves: Vin Timpanelli, 6

Games Pitched: Brooks Crawford, 38

Innings Pitched: Jose Acuña, 100.2

Strikeouts: Jose Acuña, 100

Dragons among the Midwest League Leaders

Doubles: Austin Callahan: 1st (34)

Triples: Edwin Arroyo: 1st (10); Jack Rogers: 5th (6)

Hits: Edwin Arroyo: Tied-2nd (118)

Home Runs: Ruben Ibarra, Mat Nelson: Tied-4th (18)

Runs Scored: Edwin Arroyo: 5th (72)

Extra Base Hits: Edwin Arroyo, 3rd (49); Austin Callahan, 5th (45)

Slugging Percentage: Jack Rogers, 6th (.459)

Stolen Bases: Edwin Arroyo, 7th (28)

Runs Batted In: Ruben Ibarra, Jack Rogers: Tied-9th (63)

2023 Memorable Moments

Big Night at the Plate: On April 26 vs. Lake County, the Dragons reached their highest run total in nearly eight years and their highest total at home in nearly 11 years, with a 17-8 victory. Mat Nelson hit two home runs including the second half of back-to-back home runs in the third inning after Austin Callahan had hit a two-run homer. Jack Rogers hit a grand slam. Dayton was 8 for 12 with men in scoring position. Tyler Callihan added a double and triple. The Dragons had last scored 17 runs in a game on June 5, 2015 at Clinton, and last scored 17 runs at home on July 4, 2012 against South Bend.

Last Chance Wins: In back-to-back games in late July, the Dragons trailed with two outs and the bases empty in the ninth inning but rallied to win. On July 23 vs. Wisconsin, the Dragons trailed 5-4 with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the ninth inning when Hayden Jones belted a game-tying home run. Two batters later, after a pair of walks, Edwin Arroyo lined a single to center field to drive in Trey Faltine from second with the winning run. In the next game, on July 25 at Great Lakes, the Dragons trailed 2-0 with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the ninth inning when Arroyo doubled, Austin Callahan walked, and Ruben Ibarra blasted a 451' three-run home run to left field to give the Dragons a 3-2 lead. Braxton Roxby pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth to close out the win.

First Time: The win on July 25, and another win on August 29, marked the first two Dragons comebacks of their kind since at least 2007. On August 29, trailing 5-4 in the top of the ninth at Great Lakes, Carlos Jorge hit a two-run home run to give Dayton a 6-5 lead, which they held for the win. These two games marked the first two since at least 2007 in which the Dragons, while trailing in the ninth inning on the road, hit a home run that gave them the lead and went on to win the game.

Late Inning Comeback: On August 22 vs. Lansing at Day Air Ballpark, the Dragons rallied back from a 4-0 deficit going to the bottom of the eighth inning to win. The Dragons scored three runs in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth for the walk-off win. Jack Rogers hit a two-run home run in the eighth to pull the Dragons within one, and Dayton scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on a dropped fly ball. It marked the first time since May 1, 2018 that the Dragons rallied from a deficit of at least four runs at the end of the seventh inning to win.

Grand Slam Times Two: On September 5 and September 6, the Dragons hit grand slam home runs in back-to-back games for the first time since information on grand slams became available in 2005 (as MLB took control of statistical recordkeeping and archiving of games). Ruben Ibarra connected on a grand slam on September 5 and Carlos Jorge hit one the next night.

Walk-Off Home Run: On September 7, Dayton's Sal Stewart hit the team's first walk-off home run of 2023 (and only their second since 2015) when he blasted a solo homer to left field with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie. It was the 21st walk-off home run in Dragons history.

Best for Last: The Dragons final offensive inning of the season was one of their most significant. In the final game of the year on September 10, the Dragons trailed Fort Wayne 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning at Day Air Ballpark. The Dragons rallied for four runs in the inning, keyed by a two-run triple by Hector Rodriguez, to take a 4-2 lead to the ninth, and held the lead for the win, giving the club a winning record for the third straight year.

DRAGONS MEDIA NOTES

Dragons Broadcast Information in 2023

In 2023, 25 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.

Social Media

The Dragons Facebook page climbed to over 58,000 followers while the Dragons Twitter page jumped to nearly 24,000 followers, the Dragons Instagram page increased to over 27,000 followers, and the Dragons TikTok page to over 21,000 followers.

50 Former Dragons Played in the Major Leagues in 2023

Former Dragons who Made Major League Baseball Debuts in 2023 (141 total since 2000)

Andrew Abbott (Reds)

Elly De La Cruz (Reds)

Ricky Karcher (Reds)

Noelvi Marte (Reds)

Matt McLain (Reds)

Connor Phillips (Reds)

Lyon Richardson (Reds)

Eduardo Salazar (Reds)

Carson Spiers (Reds)

Randy Wynne (Reds)

Additional Former Dragons Who Played for the Reds in 2023 (18)

Tejay Antone

Graham Ashcraft

Jose Barrero

Alexis Diaz

Daniel Duarte

Stuart Fairchild

TJ Friedl

Hunter Greene

Jonathan India

Joel Kuhnel

Ben Lively

Nick Lodolo

Alejo Lopez

Tony Santillan

Nick Senzel

Michael Siani

Tyler Stephenson

Joey Votto

Additional Former Dragons Who Played for Other MLB Teams in 2023 (22)

Tucker Barnhart (Cubs)

Brennan Bernardino (Red Sox)

Johnny Cueto (Marlins)

Noah Davis (Rockies)

Jeter Downs (Nationals)

Amir Garrett (Royals)

Billy Hamilton (White Sox)

Michael Lorenzen (Tigers/Phillies)

Mark Kolozsvary (Orioles)

Tyler Mahle (Twins)

Daury Moreta (Pirates)

Packy Naughton (Cardinals)

Chris Okey (Angels)

Wandy Peralta (Yankees)

Miguel Rojas (Dodgers)

Jose Siri (Astros/Rays)

Robert Stephenson (Pirates/Rays)

Taylor Trammell (Mariners)

Chad Tromp (Braves)

Justin Turner (Red Sox)

Zack Weiss (Angels)

Jesse Winker (Brewers)

Check out the Dayton Dragons Statistics



Midwest League Stories from September 18, 2023


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