Detroit Tigers president of baseball Scott Harris recaps 2025 season
Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris opened his news conference with a long statement Oct. 13, 2025, at Comerica Park.
Dillon Dingler established himself as the Detroit Tigers‘ No. 1 catcher during the 2025 season.
The 27-year-old served as the backup catcher on Opening Day in March, only to take over as the starting catcher in April. He caught every inning during the postseason in October.
It was the second year of his MLB career.
For his performance, Dingler is one of three finalists for an American League Gold Glove at the catcher position, announced Wednesday, Oct. 15, by Rawlings Baseball. He is joined by Alejandro Kirk (Toronto Blue Jays) and Carlos Narváez (Boston Red Sox).
The winner will be announced Nov. 2.
Dingler started 113 of his 126 games at catcher.
He logged 1,011â…” innings behind the plate, the most innings by a Tigers catcher since Alex Avila (1,017â…” innings) in 2024. Only five catchers from the Tigers have surpassed 1,000 innings in a single season since 2000: Avila, Brad Ausmus, Gerald Laird, Pudge RodrÃguez — and now Dingler.
Since 2000, Ausmus racked up the most innings in a single season by Tigers catcher with 1,231â…“ innings in the 2000 campaign.
Not only was Dingler available, but his plus-6 defensive runs saved ranked third among AL catchers, trailing only Narváez (plus-10 DRS) and Kirk (plus-9 DRS).
Dingler also ranked in the 95th percentile in blocks above average, the 91st percentile in framing and the 85th percentile in caught stealing above average.
He never allowed a passed ball.
[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Days of Roar” your go-to Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
In 2025, Dingler — whom the Tigers selected No. 38 overall in the 2020 draft — hit .278 with 13 home runs, 23 walks and 110 strikeouts across 126 games, posting a .752 OPS. He replaced Jake Rogers as the primary catcher when Rogers suffered an oblique strain in April, then never looked back.
Dingler had his best month in May.
He hit .329 with two home runs and an .839 OPS over 21 games in May. He finished third in fan voting among AL catchers for the All-Star Game in July, trailing Kirk and Cal Raleigh (Seattle Mariners).
The Tigers haven’t celebrated a Gold Glove winner since second baseman Ian Kinsler in 2016. A catcher from the Tigers hasn’t been a Gold Glove winner since RodrÃguez in 2007.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.Â