Blake Dunn experienced the thrill of making a major league roster out of spring training, suiting up for the Cincinnati Reds on opening day.
But the season didn’t go without its growing pains.
Dunn fell into a hitting slump and was sent down to Triple-A after a month with the Reds.
“Being able to start out at the highest level from the beginning of the spring and earning a spot was (incredible). I didn’t have any expectations so earning a spot was great. I started out pretty well but then went into a cold streak and got optioned back to Triple-A,” Dunn said.
Instead of letting the disappointment consume him, the Saugatuck native got right to work, finishing the last months of the season in stellar fashion as he aims to make the Reds roster again this spring.
“Everybody talks about baseball being a game of failure. Being able to experience all of that stuff is good for a player,” Dunn said. “No one succeeds every time. So having the experience of playing well and having struggles and finding your way back is all part of the process. And I found something that worked really well for me. Creating confidence with that is the next step.”
Dunn found something in his swing that changed everything. He batted .291 with Triple-A Louisville and had 40 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 98 games.
“I made some adjustments physically and mentally. I found something that clicked for me and played well for the last three months of the season. The biggest thing is consistency, so that was very promising,” Dunn said. “There were two things I tweaked. I was standing taller at the plate from the beginning of the season. But the positioning of my hands changed. I found that when I preset my hands further back, and then I was in a better position to launch. Then it is just about finding the timing that goes with that. The other thing was using the timing of my hips to fire to the baseball, then let my hands and the barrel of the bat fall into place from there.
“That is my plan this offseason, to continue to build those reps and that kind of consistency.”
Having gone through all of the ups and downs, Dunn knows he has experienced the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows in professional baseball. His experience will allow him to handle any situation, something that will be pivotal when he competes for a roster spot with the Reds.
“The biggest thing about baseball is finding ways to get out of those slumps. So the fact that I was able to put three solid months together of quality baseball was big. I plan on taking that into spring training,” he said. “I am expecting a big season out of myself.”
Dunn said the level of pitching in the majors changed the way he approaches at bats.
“The stuff is better in the majors. There aren’t any Tarik Skubals that you are facing in Triple-A. You have to adjust to the level of competition. But also be able to understand how pitchers are wanting to attack you. You can try to take away their strengths and make them make a mistake, or be able to lay off those to get something to hit,” Dunn said. “But the biggest thing is guys don’t miss. You really have to capitalize on the pitches to hit because there aren’t many of them. That is what guys like Shohei Otani and guys like that do. When they are dialed in, they don’t miss that pitch. That is something that comes with time and consistency and trusting yourself.
“A lot of it is telling yourself you belong. You have to have confidence in yourself when you earn a spot.”
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.  Â