The Tigers drafted California Baptist outfielder Nick Dumesnil in the eighth round this year. The 21-year-old barely had time to catch his breath before Detroit assigned him to Low-A Lakeland.
“I was told about how it was a dream come true to hear your name called,” Dumesnil said. “It’s everything that you work for, and it all lived up to that. It was awesome to hear my name and know that all my hard work finally felt like it paid off.”
Not even two weeks into his assignment to the Florida State League, Dumesnil had already weighed his skill set against the competition he’s facing.
Offensively, this comes down to his hitting style.
“I’m a super aggressive hitter,” Dumesnil said. “Early in counts, I’m going to be aggressive and try to get a swing off. With two strikes, I’m a tough out. I’m going to battle up there and try to hit a hard line drive up the middle.”
Now that he has had a chance to observe opposing pitching, the righthanded hitter has begun pinpointing things he plans to make minor adjustments to in his swing mechanics.
“I’m trying to load early and smoothly,” Dumesnil said. “I don’t want any rigid or fast motions. I want to keep a really smooth and level swing.”
As an amateur, Dumesnil saw time at all three outfield posts, but the SoCal product believes he is a center fielder.
“I played all over the outfield in the beginning of college, but going into my junior year, I settled down in center field,” Dumesnil said. “I feel really comfortable there now. I feel like that’s my home.
“Center field is the best, just because there are no boundaries. Everything is in play, so you have to be super aggressive. There are just so many opportunities.”
The 6-foot-2 Dumesnil admits that he is a creature of habit, and the routine he locked in during college has stayed as vital to his preparation as it ever has.
“He takes this really seriously,” one area scout said. “That’s exactly where you want to start as a pro.”